Fletcher Jones has been called a visionary, an entrepreneur and, in 1958, Warrnambool's citizen of the year, but for John Cumming, Jones was his family's greatest support in their hour of need.
"I grew to love the man for what he did for us in a very hard time," Mr Cumming said.
In 1951, Mr Cumming's father, Jack, died, succumbing to injuries he sustained in World War II when he fought as one of the Rats of Tobruk.
His mother, Kitty, was left to look after John and his younger brother Lawrence on her own.
The boys were only six and eight at the time, and some relatives suggested Ms Cumming should give them up to an orphanage.
"Fletcher Jones was a friend of my parents," Mr Cumming said.
"We stayed there for about six months."
Who is Fletcher Jones?
Sir (David) Fletcher Jones (1895-1977), whose family were immigrant miners from Cornwall, also experienced hardship at an early age.
"He saw firsthand the vagaries of life," Melbourne University archivist Melinda Barrie told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"There was no safety net [when] his father became quite ill."
Born in Bendigo, Jones served in WWI and upon returning to Australia started work as a travelling salesman.
Eventually he opened his own menswear business, moving away from custom fitting to off-the-rack clothing.
"Off-the-rack was quite a new thing," Ms Barrie said.
As well as having innovative ideas about how to sell clothes, Jones had "a dream for a fairer society".
After coming across the writings of Japanese social reformer Toyohiko Kagawa, he turned his company into a staff cooperative based on shared ownership and profits.
The company would go on to have almost 3,000 employees and more than 50 stores across the country.
How Fletcher changed my life
While his family were living with Jones, Mr Cumming recalls being treated like one of Jones's own children.
"We used to sit around at night with everyone and play on the loungeroom floor with things we had," he said.
Jones would often drive John and his brother to school in the morning or take them to the factory.
The family even joined the Joneses when they went to their holiday house in Port Fairy.
"It was fabulous for my mother," Mr Cumming said.
Eventually Mr Cumming's mother moved back to Geelong and enrolled in secretarial school. A few years later, she was able to buy a house with the help of a small inheritance.
Jones's extraordinary act of generosity has had a lasting impact on Mr Cumming's life.
"He gave me a good sense of values and was an example of somebody who trod the right path," he said.
Now in his 70s, Mr Cumming wishes he had thought to go back and see Jones and say thank you.
"Everyone loved Fletcher," he said.
"He was there to help us at a very difficult time."
