Streaming of Funeral Service
Invitations are invited to be made in memory of Bob to 2 organisations that he was passionate about –
SPA (Sustainable Population Australia) via https://population.org.au/
MCRP (Marine Care Rickett’s Point) via info@marinecare.org.au
Thank you so much for enabling us to participate in that very beautiful service. It was stupendous in every way; so great to hear Bob’s family and friends speak and so very kind of them to share their stories.
The music was marvellous and the photos really excellently put together. Thank you very much to Jane and all Bob’s family. Thank you too, to the celebrant – you did a job hard to do; to so genuinely convey and reflect all the love in the room and ’round the world.
Johnny and I loved Bob very much and indeed, our lives have been enriched by him in more ways than could be expressed here. It’s wonderful to be able to close my eyes and see him so vividly; to smile through the sobering realisation of ‘no more visits’… This service and the generosity and grace of Bob’s family and other friends, is much appreciated.
Justine Engdahl – Beaumaris High -Years 7-11
Mr Whiteway, thank you for everything. You are one of the best teachers I’ve ever had at Beaumaris back in the 90s. My Geography classes were no doubt one of the very best, hands on and practical, not to mention we spent 5 weeks in term 1 skin diving at Rickett’s Point and Half Moon Bay as part of our Geography classes. Almost 30 years on and I still remember those lessons. RIP Mr Whiteway, you’ll always be remembered as the “legendary” teacher at Beaumaris.
My sincere condolences to the Whiteway family.
Having known Bob for over 45yrs, it is so sad to lose our dear friend last weekend.
We spent many great hours together, studying things like the Corriolis Effect & the Hadley Cell, & the seasons in Meteorology.
We had some great times together, scuba diving up on the Great Barrier Reef, while sailing our yacht there all those yrs ago.
He wondered at the magic of this creation, & worked so hard to protect it just as passionately. He’s a legend.
As was the astrological tradition Bob & I had, (for the last 30 odd years anyway), we would usually ring up/email & report the Sun’s Zenith position as it passed over either the Equator or the Tropic every 3 months for the Equinox/Solstice.
This equinox we got up at 0530hrs 23rd August, to witness the Sun’s precise passage from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere, & to mull over our dear friend. Such perfect synchronicity with his passing a few days earlier. Alas, there will be no more buddy to contact next Summer Solstice…
Post Funeral now, Jane & Family & Bob orchestrated it so beautifully there at Parkdale Yacht club, looking out over the Ricketts Point sanctuary headland in the distance. Absolutely perfect setting, & we are both still feeling the love.
Everyone attending spoke so well, to the person, & it was such a moving experience to see dear Bob talked about by all his dearest family & closest friends.
All, including the Funeral Celebrant, did an amazing job.
Bob was a Living Legend, the amazingly dedicated geography teacher who taught at Beaumaris High School for decades, passing on to his students his great love and passion for our unique environment. He taught them about marine life on the beach – something many of his students still fondly remember. Bob was also the inaugural Marine Care Ricketts Point President. He led the campaign for Ricketts Point to become a Marine Sanctuary, to protect the natural environment of the coast and water. He fought hard over many years to have this area included in the series of marine sanctuaries, which were finally declared by the State Government in 2002. Everyone owes him a great debt of gratitude for his foresight and resilience in preserving this precious area. A quietly spoken, highly intelligent gentleman not only taught, but encouraged others to speak up and give opinions. Open-minded, dedicated, kind and humble. We will never forget you Bob 🙂 xoxo
Truly lovely and gentle man. I was honoured to have Bob as a patient. I am sure all who were taught by him will be his lasting legacy.
What a wonderful celebration of Bob’s life. As Ian said ‘ he was a teacher who changed lives’! He sure changed mine and particularly my appreciation for the outdoors. Thank you to Bob’s family and friends for sharing your memories and stories.
RIP Bob…. any any influence you have on the other side to clean up the planet…. don’t be shy 🙂
Steve Noa (HSC year of 1986)
My words could not express how precious this very beautiful tribute was to our AMAZING friend and mentor Bob. I will always remember Bob for his kindness, humility and in particular his never ending patience and love. I wish I could have shared this day with you Jane, but I was very honoured to be there in “spirit”. Jane, you have always been there for your lovely dad and he will be sooo happy and proud of his beautiful daughter and family. Sending all my love ❤️Karen ❤️❤️
Bob was my buddy for the two years when we boarders at Haileybury College 1948-49 120 South Road Brighton.
We went different directions after school but maintained our friendship, he rang me for my eighty seventh birthday 24th August and we shared our memories from seventy two years ago, thank you Jane and family whom we have never met for sharing today with us, we are pleased that we were able to get a record of Bob’s OHA contribution to him in his last days to be able to share with his family.
Such an inspiring tribute to beautiful Bob, who has just made Parkdale beach a special place, cheers to Bob.
Dear Bob, thank you for decades of excellent friendship, celebrations with BRASCA members, work on the foreshore, picnics, walks along the coast, talks about our precious indigenous trees, plants and small ground covers. We have special memories of meeting you, Janet Ablitt and many workers on the cliff tops at Black Rock, cups of tea and food in special spots with views out to sea. We have welcomed you many times to our home, especially out on the veranda in sunshine, rain and cloudy days. Your students have appreciated all the imaginative things you did with them in the local environment. From Val Tarrant
Dear Bob, thank you for decades of excellent friendship, celebrations with BRASCA members, work on the foreshore, picnics, walks along the coast, talks about our precious indigenous trees, plants and small ground covers. We have special memories of meeting you, Janet Ablitt and many workers on the cliff tops at Black Rock, cups of tea and food in special spots with views out to sea. We have welcomed you many times to our home, especially out on the veranda in sunshine, rain and cloudy days. Your students have appreciated all the imaginative things you did with them in the local environment.
Thank you Bob for caring about our natural world and, from listening to those who spoke at your funeral, doing it with love and wisdom.
Vale Bob, you were always an inspiration to all. I still have fond memories of our sailing aboard the Tehani, and our cups of tea whenever I visited Melbourne.
Always remembered, I will miss you Bob.
I was a student at Beaumaris High School in the 1970’s, and on one day something extraordinary happened. Our Geography teacher was absent, so a different teacher taught us Geography that day. And guess what, we all went outside and walked about a mile and a half to the beach, where we stayed until it was time to go home. We all had a hands-on close up look at the local biosphere of Rickets Point, and it was simply amazing. I don’t have to tell you how envious I was of all those other students for whom Bob was the regular teacher. What a legend. What a way to learn. I am so privileged to have known him.
This service is a wonderful tribute to Bob’s life….He always seemed to there at Ricketts and is part of many memories for our family.Greatly missed already.
Pa Bob – on behalf of myself & Bella, thank you for your kindness, love & compassion throughout the years. Thank you for being a grandpa to me following the loss of my own & for your continued love and friendship. I wish we could’ve had the final cuppa. May you rest in grace & peace.
A beautiful service for a beautiful man. I have such wonderful memories of skin diving and geography lessons at Beaui High, followed in later years by regular catch ups with my sisters and Bob. Love to Jane, Michael, Jeremy, Adam and Celina. xx
The service was beautiful and humbling.
Thank you Jane.
As assuredly as the sun sets on this horizon it rises on another.
Vale Bob.
Oh Bob, you made everyone feel so special. What a heritage you have created for our grandchildren. Thankyou. It was an adventure to have known you
What a beautiful celebration of the full life of such a wonderful man. My time spent in his Geography class were the best of my schooling life. He was a teacher ahead of his time. So kind and generous in his time and knowledge for others. What a huge impact he has had on so many people, including myself, and on the environment he loved so much.
Thankyou to Bob’s family and friends for sharing their stories of time spent with such a great man. What a beautiful and fitting send off.
Dear Jane, Michael, Jeremy, Sarah, Adam, Selina and all of Bob’s family,
The service today was amazing. Thank you to all for the work, love and time you put into making it work so beautifully. You were all so strong to work through each of your contributions, let alone preparing them. We have to say that the grandkids were so impressive. You must be proud of them all. The extra contributions from his longtime friends were valuable and informative additions.
It was also a beautiful and most appropriate setting in which to say goodbye to the our memorable and wonderful Bob.
We were very lucky having Bob and Shirley as our neighbours from when we moved into Abbott St in 1997. They were the perfect next-door friends and gave us support, laughs and friendship over their years next to us.
With love,
Kerry and David Smyth
80 Abbott St
Joe Mumford
Bob was an inspirational person and I feel proud to have known him – he will be missed Joe
What a beautiful, soulful service for a spectacular and extraordinary person. Thank you everyone! I’m forever grateful for your friendship Bob…your splendid spirit will always soar!
I have such fond memories of dear Bob – as a student at Beauy High (Anne Crawford) and also as a member of staff at Beauy High. As a student I chose his Geography skindiving classes as an elective subject – what an amazing world he opened to me. I was one of the ‘boys’ in his production of ‘Oliver’ and organised our after party which was held at Bob’s in Abbott Street – what a memorable time! As a staff member he asked me to be the ‘chaperone’ for the girls enrolled in his skindiving classes. All the students marvelled at the world down under as he came to the surface with a starfish or a plum sponge.
I remember at my 21st birthday party Bob chatted up my mother-in-law (they got on really well but didn’t amount to anything) – how funny was that!
Bob was nature’s true gentleman. A kind, caring, compassionate, unique and humorous man. He has definitely left this world a better place.
The love that Bob and Shirley shared over 30 years was something to behold. Thanks for the visits and the chats and thanks for being a part of our family Grandpa Bob.
Lots of love and best wishes to you Bob. You were such an inspiration to many, in so many ways. An amazing person who was always educating in such a kind and gentle way. I fondly remember those Sunday mornings tree planting, rock platform surveys and chats with you and your family at your place. Miss you.
Thank you to everyone for sharing your beautiful words and memories today and allowing us to join online. xox Jacqueline
Dear uncle Bob,
You have no idea of how significant you have been in our lives. You and I shared a love of the sea, teaching from the heart and even our PE background. when we adopted the twins in 2011, you took them under your wing and became the grandfather they never had. They loved our regular catch ups at Ricketts Point cafe, at your house and at ours. You and auntie Shirl were so in love since the day you met and it exuded from you both. So sad that we were prevented from seeing you on your death bed. We are so happy for the 30 years that we have known you and you will always hold a place in our hearts.
Its been more than 55 years since Beauy High but Bob Whiteway remains in my memory as a inspirational and gifted teacher. His passion and enthusiasm were inspirational. Bob truly made a difference and has left the world a better place.
R.I.P. Bob. An absolute legend to state the very least. Any who had the priviliedge to meet you will never forget you. Sincere condolences to your entire family.
A wonderful Community member for the City of Bayside with his great achievements for the Environment on both the Land and Marine side of our Municipality.
A truly modest great achiever
Sadly missed.
A wonderful Community member of Bayside and for the treasured Environment both Land and Sea within our Municipality
Fond Memories
Bob, I have learned so much from you, from your knowledge, your commitment and your inspiration. Thank you for everything. You have done so much to preserve and rejuvenate our beautiful foreshore and our indigenous heathlands.
An environmental superhero. A dear and loyal friend. A patient and enthusiastic teacher. Bob will be sorely missed–but his beloved spirit still soars.
Author unknown:
The tide recedes,
but leaves behind bright seashells on the sand.
The sun goes down,
but gentle warmth still lingers on the land.
The music stops, yet echoes on in sweet, soulful refrains.
For every joy that passes, something beautiful remains.
Bob, I remember all the meals I had at your place when Allan died. Thanks for caring for many people over the years. Miss you lots. Your sister in law, Kathleen.
Always in our hearts.
All our love Bob,
Simone, Rob, Seth and Isabella
Goodbye beloved husband. You will always be in my heart.
Dearest Bob, how kind and inspiring you were for us all at Beaumaris High School. I will forever remember the things that you taught us in your hands on, practical way. You made learning interesting, fun and relaxing. Your involvement in school musicals was not only creative, but way beyond what was expected of you at school. I have tried to pass on many of the things you taught me to my children and we will forever have a love of the sea and nature because of you. You will live on in our memories.
Love to Jane and all of the extended family.
Susie Gregory (nee Cameron)
Vale Bob.
You are memorable because you are unforgettable. A great man, great teacher and friend with a big heart. Your contribution to Beauy High and our class of 72 will stay with me forever.
Paul Kouris
Fond memories of Bob when I taught with him at Beaui High in the early 80s. A lovely gentle man who was always positive.
Rest in Peace Bob. You are the last of our group with Dr Richards. It was a long time ago, so I am pleased I dropped in to see you in Abbott Street on the way to my friend’s place.
Bob Whiteway was a terrific teacher a great ” bloke” and the reason I became an Economist. He was passionate and enthusiastic about life in general and particularly the environment. A real inspiration and genuine friend. He certainly made a huge positive impact on my life.
Class of ’72
Vivid memories of companionship through the 1940’s at Haileybury College. Bob was a valued friend and well regarded by fellow students, even in more recent years. Fondly remembered and sadly missed. Our sincere condolences to Jane and family.