Graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce from Melbourne University ( 1958 ), Graham had a distinguished stockbroking career . For more than 60 years he was sequentially associated with Wallace H Smith , McIntosh , Roach McIntosh , Merrill Lynch , and Bell Potter . He was a meticulous letter-writer , not only to his clients but also to government departments , politicians and the press .
Graham was a member of Kooyong and Royal South Yarra Tennis Clubs , the Melbourne Club and the Australian Club . He was a long-serving board member of the Melba Conservatorium of Music .
On a lighter note , Graham liked to tell this story against himself :
Seventy-six years ago , in our first year in the Senior School , Dr Mendel introduced us to French . The penalty for a translation error was to write it correctly 55 times .
Mendel : ‘ Student Jones Sellars , what is ze French word for the map ?’
Graham : ( very reasonably , most of us thought ) ‘ Sir , la map ’. Mendel : ( boldly ) ‘ Cinquante-cinq !’ ( Graham never forgot la carte ) …. Graham died on 16 January 2024 at
Caulfield .
SIMPSON , Bruce Priestley (’ 75 ) Bruce ’ s brothers , James (’ 71 ) and John (’ 75 ), wrote :
Bruce Simpson was physically a large man . Much more significant , however , was his largeness of soul . He always generously and cheerfully radiated calm , utter dependability , and constructive common sense . Bruce died on his farm , ‘ Coolowie ’ on 13 February 2024 , from an anaphylactic reaction following a wasp attack .
Bruce was born on 4 April 1957 at Box Hill , the son of Meg and Ron Simpson ( SC 1934-41 ). At Scotch ( 1970-75 ) he immediately gravitated to fellow students who came from the country . Bruce loved his school years . He rowed in the 1st VIII in 1975 and was a 1975 Prefect . He became a significant contributor to the Cardinal Club
In 1977 he went to the Riverina and worked first on farms , gained a degree in Agricultural Science and then held positions as crop manager in some of the tougher reaches of the southern Riverina .
Bruce married Shandra Catherine Powell on 4 March 1989 at Wagga Wagga , New South Wales . Shandra and Bruce were devoted parents to Charlie ( SC 2011-14 ) and Lucy . Moving to Deniliquin in 2000 , Bruce joined a farm consulting business ( Peppin Planners ), of which he later became a partner and owner . He and Shandra also purchased a mixed irrigation property ‘ Coolowie ’, 17km outside Deniliquin , and later three adjoining properties .
Bruce became Chair of Murray River Irrigation Ltd ., and the Murray Group of Concerned Communities ; he was the inaugural Chair of the Country Education Foundation , Edward River Region ; and he chaired a committee to establish a country university . He was also on the Board of Intereach , a non-profit community organisation .
In her parliamentary eulogy to him on 28 February 2024 , the Hon . Sussan Ley listed Bruce ’ s many community contributions , and added ‘ more importantly , he was a good bloke ’. Bruce Simpson was a very good bloke indeed , an ever-cheerful , magnanimous , wise and kind giver who commanded deep respect from all .
He is survived by his wife Shandra , his children Charlie and Lucy , and the many members of his extended family , including sister Julie and brothers James and ( twin ) John .
SLOANE , Peter Hay (' 54 ) Peter ' s brother , Angus (' 60 ), wrote :
Peter was born on 11 January 1938 at St Andrew ’ s Hospital , East Melbourne to William Hay and Kathleen ( nee Adamson ) Sloane .
Attending Scotch from 1947 to 1955 as a member of Gardiner ( later Gilray ) House , Peter was 1947 Form Captain of IIId . A member of the Swimming team in 1951 and from 1953 to 1955 ( which won all but 1953 ), Peter was involved in athletics , hockey , the Dramatic Society , and Scouts ( becoming a King ' s Scout ).
Also at Scotch were Peter ’ s brothers Angus ( SC 1951-60 ) and Donald William Hay Sloane ( born 7.7.1943 , SC 1951-61 , died 21.5.1983 ) and great-uncles James Sloane ( born 14.1.1857 , SC 1870 , died 28.10.1932 ), Thomas Gibson Sloane ( born 20.4.1858 , SC 1870 , died 20.10.1932 ) and William Sloane ( born 22.8.1860 , SC 1870 , died 29.5.1933 ).
Graduating from Melbourne University ( specialising in Agricultural Science and Economics ), Peter took a 29,000km outback tour , shaping his expertise in dryland farming and igniting a passion for adventure .
On 3 August 1966 Peter married Jocelyn Frances Southby at the Flinders Naval Depot Chapel , and they had Tom , David and Kate . She died on 4 May 2020 .
In 1971 Peter was appointed Managing Director at Craigmoor Winery , Mudgee . His influence on agriculture included consulting work and teaching roles at TAFE , New South Wales .
In 1977 , he co-founded Sloane , Cook and King with Jon Cook , engaging in transformative projects working with the Food Aid Organization and the United Nations Development Programme in Mongolia , Afghanistan , Sudan , Ethiopia , Tanzania and the Bahamas . In 1992 Peter was working at Kabul , Afghanistan when the Taliban arrived : he returned in 2001 after they were forced out .
Pivotal contributions by Peter assisted Mongolia ’ s transition from socialism to a market-based economy . For 11 years from 2000 he was Mongolia ’ s Honorary Consul General in Australia , fostering connections , assisting Mongolian students , and contributing to the Australia-Mongolia Society . He was crucial in developing the Australia Awards program , enabling more than 600 Mongolians to pursue Masters and higher degree programs in Australia .
He was active in the Australian Institute of International Affairs , Agricultural Institute of Australia , University of the Third Age and the Australian Club ( Melbourne ). Alongside Douglas James Draffin ( born 21.8.1934 , SC 1946-50 , died 28.4.2021 ), Peter helped found Koomerang ' s Thredbo lodge .
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