“There is absolutely no one else in the world like Daryl Gray.”
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Father Peter McLeod-Miller spoke in glowing terms about his friend and Albury farmer who was farewelled at a funeral service attended by about 600 people on Friday.
Daryl died on March 21 from burns sustained on his beloved Willowbank property.
Son Aaron said his dad was proud of the family’s achievements and they were proud of him for his sacrifice and dedication to Willowbank.
“His home was everything. He worked our farm with vision, strength and unrelenting backbone,” he said.
“Dad was a fighter, right to the end – in the fire that overcame him, Dad never gave up … He stood up and fought the game out until the end and I will be forever grateful for the man he was.”
Daryl will leave a legacy at the farm and in many other parts of life he touched.
The 69-year-old had two children and five grandchildren, who he enjoyed teaching about life on the farm and the produce he sold at farmers markets.
His diverse life had also included playing and coaching football for Albury Tigers, a love of non-fiction reading, Australian art and loud Australian music and – surprisingly – a stint owning a Dean Street fashion boutique in the 1980s.
Daughter Nadine said she felt like the luckiest teenage girl in Albury when she accompanied him to Melbourne fashion outlets, but her memories always came back to the work and camaraderie of Willowbank.
“My dad was, at the very least, an interesting and colourful character,” she said.
“I hope I can hear the whisper of his raspy voice in the wind and he will be able to guide me.”
Daryl’s hat and a Willowbank wreath were placed on the casket for the service at St Matthew’s Anglican Church, before it was honoured with holy water from the farm and carried out to the tune of “Chariots of Fire” and “Up There Cazaly”.
Father McLeod-Miller said the well-loved man was a good bloke and friend to people from all walks of life.
“With Daryl, he accepted everyone just as they were,” he said.
“Everyone was welcome – he’d also give people with a hard life work and support and he’d give people a second chance.”
The church was so full, mourners keen to pay their respects were spilling out of the doors.
“He set standards of humanity and of being a good bloke,” Father McLeod-Miller said. “He’s given us a life never to be forgotten.”
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