Cycling in Melbourne Australia
Farewell Tony Barter
I received this message this morning from Kathy via the vicbugchat list.
Tony was the original Cycle Angel and an absolutely top bloke. He shall be sadly missed by Melbourne's cycling community.
Pic from "Bike angels to assist Darebin cyclists"
****
Hi fellow BUGgies,
I assume some of you may know the prolific Tony Barter: former BV staffer, WARBY (We're Right Behind You - teams of helpful folk who help out on BV's multi-day event rides), Cycle Angel, MBTC member, Tandem Club member, Learn to Ride a Bike tutor with Jika Jika Community Centre, ride leader/cycling promoter/inspirational extraordinaire, former Bike Ed teacher, and supernice bloke, not to mention a former Darebin BUG member (especially in the BUG's early days)... he's just lost a long fight with cancer. I thought you may like to know.
I was forwarded the following email by his family tonight.
Happy cycling,
Kathy
P.S. Please let me know if you'd like to know when the Celebration will be held.
**********************************************************************
Dear friends of Tony,
With great sadness we want to let you know that Tony passed away peacefully Sunday night at 9.30pm with his family present.
After a long struggle, Tony moved into palliative care for the last month of his life. We greatly appreciate the care and attention he received from the entire staff at the Austin Repat Hospital and his many friends and family. Tony is now free of pain and free to ride.
The family is planning Tony's "Celebration of Life" and we will advise everyone shortly. Please feel free to pass on this information to others. More details will be forthcoming.
Tony was the original Cycle Angel and an absolutely top bloke. He shall be sadly missed by Melbourne's cycling community.
Pic from "Bike angels to assist Darebin cyclists"
****
Hi fellow BUGgies,
I assume some of you may know the prolific Tony Barter: former BV staffer, WARBY (We're Right Behind You - teams of helpful folk who help out on BV's multi-day event rides), Cycle Angel, MBTC member, Tandem Club member, Learn to Ride a Bike tutor with Jika Jika Community Centre, ride leader/cycling promoter/inspirational extraordinaire, former Bike Ed teacher, and supernice bloke, not to mention a former Darebin BUG member (especially in the BUG's early days)... he's just lost a long fight with cancer. I thought you may like to know.
I was forwarded the following email by his family tonight.
Happy cycling,
Kathy
P.S. Please let me know if you'd like to know when the Celebration will be held.
**********************************************************************
Dear friends of Tony,
With great sadness we want to let you know that Tony passed away peacefully Sunday night at 9.30pm with his family present.
After a long struggle, Tony moved into palliative care for the last month of his life. We greatly appreciate the care and attention he received from the entire staff at the Austin Repat Hospital and his many friends and family. Tony is now free of pain and free to ride.
The family is planning Tony's "Celebration of Life" and we will advise everyone shortly. Please feel free to pass on this information to others. More details will be forthcoming.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on -
Never knew the bloke but his death seems like a very sad loss to the community as well as to his family.
Only the good die young, as they say.
-
Permalink Reply by Kathy Brunning on -
Thanks, Chris. I'm pretty sure he was also the original WARBY. I'm told he really, really wanted to get out of hospital and ride the Great Vic, which started the day before his passing. He just bought a new bike but hadn't picked it up yet... proving that cycling was still a source of great joy.
I'm told his housemate and his best mate are riding the Great Vic in his memory.
-
Permalink Reply by ChrisS on -
Steve told me that Tony visited for lunch at the cafe only a couple of weeks ago and booked his touring bike into next door for a full overhaul. He was living life right up until the very last moment. A marvellous chap.
-
Permalink Reply by Adrian Tritschler on -
He was a really nice guy, sad now that I only met him a few times on a few rides. Last memorable time was a year ago on the MBTC tandem ride.
-
Permalink Reply by Kathy Brunning on
-
Beautiful photo, Adrian. Is that child one of yours? I'm feeling sad because, although he was my neighbour, I don't think I have any photos of him.
-
Permalink Reply by Adrian Tritschler on
-
Yep, that's Cam in December last year on the MBTC tandem weekend. I took a bunch of photos at the time http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajft/sets/72157622884745187/. We were all looking forward to this year's MBTC tandem weekend on the 11th - still looking forward to it, just Tony won't be there.
-
Permalink Reply by bikinbruce on -
Hi Adrian,
Yes, Tony will be missed, a nice welcoming sort of guy.
Thanks for the link to the photos, saw some of us & the kids. Also attaching another photo of Tony giving a start of ride talk at Lilydale Station on the first Tandem Weekend that we went on the first year I moved here in 2007. - Attachments:
-
-
20071208_0399_edited-1.jpg, 836 KB
-
-
Permalink Reply by Kathy Brunning on
-
Tony's Celebration of Life - details
Fairfield Amphitheatre on Saturday 11th of December at 9am to be followed by a morning tea at the Boathouse.
Tony would love to see you turn up with bikes in bike or footy colours.
The family has decided to have a small private Committal Service at the Springvale Crematorium. However, there will be a general Viewing and please feel free, if you wish, to come to the Ivanhoe LePines between 7 and 8pm on Thursday 2 December. The address is 81 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe.
© 2013 Created by DamianM.
