Geoff Melville dies aged 77
Community leader Mr Geoff Melville has died at the age of 77.
He is being remembered by many community groups for his long involvement and action.
Mr Melville owned his own real estate business in Empire Bay for decades before selling it to the Domain Property Group about three years ago.
He continued to work for the agency and had his last sale in May.
Mr Melville was a member of Umina Rotary for 40 years.
He had held every position on the board of the club and was president in 1984-1985 and in 2014-2015.
He received an unprecedented four Paul Harris Fellowship Awards being the highest awards ever granted at Umina Rotary.
In 2017 Geoff received the "Rotary International Avenues of Service Citation" for individual Rotarians, awarded by Rotary worldwide in recognition of his outstanding Rotary service.
Until his death, Geoff was chair of Umina Rotary public relations committee and editor of the club's weekly bulletin, known as Torque.
Each week he produced a Bulletin of 24 pages of Rotary and local information plus an array of interesting and topical stories that was distributed to club members, other Rotary clubs, past Rotary exchange students and members of the local community.
He was active in fundraising for various local and international projects of the club.
He was patron and past president of Empire Bay School.
He was a past president of the Empire Bay Progress Association and he organised many local functions, including the local Anzac Day celebrations.
Current president Ms Carolen Barripp said: "He was an amazing man - a voice for our community."
Ms Barripp had interviewed Mr Melville for a recent Empire Bay and District News.
He told her: "There is nothing left on the shelf - I've had a great life."
When asked what he wanted to say to the community he told her: "Thanks for having me."
His work in the Empire Bay community was recognised by the State Government earlier this year when he received a 2019 NSW Seniors Local Achievement Award.
Mr Melville was a district council member for St Pauls Anglican Church and a member of Empire Bay Probus Club.
He served as an honorary director of Peninsula Villages for 16 years.
As chair of the building committee, he was involved in the acquisition of a number of properties and survived long enough to see the new building start to emerge between Lone Pine Ave and Pozieres Ave in Umina that will provide additional aged care accommodation and facilities.
Peninsula Villages chief executive Mr Shane Neaves said, "In the 15 years Geoff has been involved at Peninsula Villages, he has added great knowledge and that much needed community advocate and input to our Board meetings.''
Mr Melville had chaired the village's building committee, which had recently awarded a contract to the value of $30 million to build an aged care facility of 114 beds.
He was a member of the Peninsula Village's care governance committee which oversees clinical and risk issues.
And Mr Melville's professional knowledge of the real estate market had allowed the village to strategically purchase properties which had enhanced its landholding, to assist in the growth of the organisation.
"Geoff was the driving force behind the Rod Radford memorial at Ettalong Beach, which was to recognise Rod's significant contributions to the local residents via his pharmacy service, but also as a fellow Rotarian committed to their local community,'' Mr Neaves said.
Brisbane Water Secondary College and other local schools received support from Mr Melville over many years.
He died on July 6, aged 77.
He is survived by his sons Andrew and Luke and daughter Felicity and their families. His wife Jacqui had died a few years ago from motor neurone disease.
SOURCE:
Email, 18 Jul 2019
Mike Curley, Umina Rotary
Wayne Dowdle, Umina Rotary
Interview (Merilyn Vale), 18 Jul 2019
Jeff Eathers, Domain Property Group
Carolen Barripp, Empire Bay Progress Association
Email, 18 Jul 2019
Shane Neave, CEO, Peninsula Villages