Zoe Moffatt
Peter Free, a prominent Sunbury local, will be farewelled tomorrow, April 4, at St Mary’s Anglican Church after he died on March 25.
Mr Free was born on January 24, 1951 and has been remembered by the Sunbury community as a valued and loved local resident.
Mr Free was president of Sunbury Community Health, Sunbury Rotary Club, Sunbury Residents Association (SRA), Sunbury Historical and Heritage Society and more.
Hume council offered its condolences during its meeting on March 27, and councillor Trevor Dance said Mr Free’s death was a tragic loss.
“He meant so much to so many of the Sunbury Community, he was a local historian, [and] attended any event in Sunbury,” Cr Dance said.
In a Facebook post Cr Dance said Mr Free was a decent, loyal, family loving, community minded man.
“His loyalty to his family and community was simply 100 per cent,” he said.
“He loved his community as can be seen by his timeless work in the Sunbury Historical Society and so many other community groups.
“What a tragic loss. Peter Free, your legacy will live on forever.”
Fellow Jacksons Creek Ward councillor Jarod Bell said Mr Free “lived, breathed and bled Sunbury.”
“His passion and drive for telling the story of our community is something that is absolutely invaluable,” he said.
“The Sunbury community is absolutely richer for his participation and for his service, and we are most certainly poorer for his loss.”
SRA president Graham Williams said Mr Free was passionate about Sunbury and full of practical ideas.
“[Mr Free] brought his passion for the town and residents to each and every meeting and was always full of practical ideas,” Mr Williams said.
“Like SRA I expect there is hardly an organisation across Sunbury who won’t have been helped by Peter’s enthusiasm and his never give up and take no for an answer approach.”
The Sunbury Rotary Club also paid tribute to Mr Free and said he was a well-liked and valuable member of the club and community.
Mr Free’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, April 4 at 1.30pm at 7 O’Shanassy Street, Sunbury.
