01/09/2026
Today I had the privilege of helping the family of a long-time friend Tommy Johnson gather the people who mattered to him to remember and celebrate his 81 years of life.
Tommy had always made it pretty clear that funerals weren't really his thing, so today was deliberately a little different.
Rather than a formal farewell, it was a gathering at the Yarraman Bowls Club built around family, friendship, stories, photographs, music, laughter, a few tears and a toast to Tommy.
One of the greatest privileges of being asked to lead occasions like this is helping a family find a way to farewell someone that actually feels like them.
Today wasn't about giving Tommy the funeral he never wanted.
It was about creating the sort of gathering he might just have stayed around for.
Coffees every Friday morning won't be the same. John Carey
