Eulogy 6 - Eulogy for our Friend, David Smith (1939-2007)

 

EULOGY FOR OUR FRIEND, DAVID

(Eulogy written and delivered for David Smith by Warren Maloney on Tuesday, 9 October 2007) [1]

Well, David, my dear friend, we have come to St Peter’s today to spend a few more precious moments with you.

 We have come from all over Daylesford & Hepburn, from all over Melbourne & Victoria, indeed from all over Australia to be once again with you. Indeed, and you would have a sly grin on this, we have even cancelled a free Senior Citizens concert so that we can be here.

 

Why? Well, I guess precisely the answer to that is what the master playwright wrote:

But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,

All losses are restored and sorrows end.



So, even though you would not like the public gaze on you, David, we do need to tell you how 

we feel today.

 It is a strange mixture of feelings. As a community, we feel enormously grateful to you and proud that whichever way we drive into Daylesford the beauty of Wombat Hill will be there, largely because of you being the beacon that you always have been in this community – the solid, unwavering light that enabled each of us to play our role in that fight. David, it was because of your clarity of purpose and dedication, that I could hold together the backbones of the councillors and officers in those meetings about resources and finances and tactics. So, my friend, we have a very beautiful Wombat Hill today and hopefully for generations to come.

 But your beacon light for us was not just about the big issues – it helped us understand and deal with so many parts of our journeys.

 We were lucky to share those meals of paella or curries, to talk about books, movies, and your strong views on social problems (even if I was always “misguided” and “naive”), to watch those challenging films, to listen to music (forgetting those dreadful CDs of Spanish piano accordion dirges).

 We were lucky to walk together as much as possible, particularly with our dogs, and above all, to laugh at ourselves so that we could never in your company take ourselves too seriously.

 Walking along the paths of the Wombat Forest will always bring back for me sights of Woody chasing sticks endlessly and the priceless sound of a David in the deepest of voices calling “WOODDDDDY”.



We all have brought with us today our personal stories, our smiling moments, when you were there for us. For Karen and me, we tell time and time again of legendary tale of rescuing Bilbo from the deep mine shaft at 7am one morning. Not the least of the David’s touches to that story was the fact that you took time again to take Annie a cup of tea in bed before attending to the hopeless, agitated Warren. Thank you, David,

 It is also fair to say, David, that we do bring a little bit of personal anger today. It is not overwhelming but each of us does feel a little angry that our days won’t be brightened by another coffee with you in the street, or another game of cards, or another red-faced argument about politics, or another meal on a spring/summer/autumn/winter night. You made each of those moments not only special whilst we shared them, but equally special whilst we remembered them

 Oh David, I do need, perhaps with certain others, to express another bit of annoyance. Listen, mate, you never did finish my portrait. Those sitting sessions listening to Leonard Cohen and drinking red wine ……………

 So soon after we finish this service, we will gather across the road at your house, David. We will drink your red wine, tell lots more stories, feel happy that we are here to show our love and support for Annie, Karen, and Fiona and all your family. We might even remember how cranky you could get at times.

 And so, now, I figure that Robbie Burns is the best way I can say publicly thank you and goodbye to our friend.

An honest man here lies at rest,
As ever God with His image blessed:
The friend of man, the friend of truth,
The friend of age, the guide of youth:
Few hearts like his - with virtue warmed,
Few heads with knowledge so informed:

If there is another world, he lives in bliss;

If there is none, he made the best of this. 




[1] David John Smith (1939-2007) was the Husband of Ann Rosemary Smith, and the Father of Fiona and Jane Smith


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