I have spent almost every waking hour of the last three weeks by my Dads side, as he reached the end of his incredible life. I really don’t have the words to express what he means to me, but I am proud to have been there for him right to the very end, 2.28am Tuesday 10th October 2023, just as he was there for me, from my very beginning.

We had a beautiful funeral service last Friday, for which I waded through about 300 photos to find the 50 that best illustrated the arc of his life. I found that process alone fairly heartbreaking, but the morning before the funeral I went for a drive down to where the family farm was & flew the drone. Afterwards I stopped at our old primary school to take a photo, and suddenly noticed the flag at the Hall was at half mast for Dad. Such a beautiful gesture. He retired from that farming community 27 years ago and we would never have even known about it, if I hadn’t randomly gone for that drive.

We gave Dad an excellent send off and afterwards I got to meet so many people who’s lives he had touched & who also loved him dearly. I loved hanging out with his two sisters Sue and Aurelie, who are 91, and 95 respectively. And I got to see them react when a photo with all three siblings appeared on the projector, a beautiful monochrome photo that is also 90+ years old.

You just never know the significance of actions until after the event, but in hindsight I am also proud to have been there for many of Dads most important ‘lasts’ eg I took him for a drive down to Dalbury for the last time, the farm that sustained our lives & where all of us kids grew up. And I took him for a drive up to Mt Somers for the last time, to the farm where he grew up as a kid, and we then went into Lake Heron on a perfect day. And I took him to see Mum for the last time.

Rest In Peace, my dear old Dad.
You were surrounded by love your entire life.
And what an incredible life you lived.