A gentleman in the truest sense

WHEN police travelling on the Ml motorway some years ago noticed a figure who appeared to be spraying graffiti on an overpass they acted swiftly to apprehend the culprit. The man they detained didn't fit the usual graffiti artist profile since he was then in his mid-70s, and he proclaimed his innocence. Far from spraying graffiti, he was actually removing it, so strong was his aversion to this social blight. It was typical of Ian Forbes's attitude to life; if he saw a problem he tackled it head on. Friends at his funeral service at Allambie this week consistently described him as a man who was a gentleman in the true sense, a 'great bloke'.

Ian Colin Forbes was born the youngest of nine children in Terang, Victoria on July 13, 1921 and grew up at Hexham. As a teenager, he moved to Melbourne to study engineering at Swinbourne Technical College while boarding with one of his sisters. He was employed by the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works but his living arrangements became more complicated when the family property at Hexham was destroyed by fire and his mother was also forced to move to Melbourne to live with her daughter.

With the outbreak of war, Ian Forbes wanted to join the air force, but in the face of his mother's fierce opposition joined the army instead. Commissioned into the Royal Australian Engineers, he took part in the recapture of Bougainville and, remaining in the army after the war, served with the occupation forces in Japan. On his return to Australia and after discharge from the army, he returned to the MMBW and was engaged as an engineer on the Upper Yarra Dam project. There he met Laurelle (known as Terri) whom he married in 1958, the couple settling at Heathmont. There were no children but Ian was a popular, generous uncle to the extended Forbes clan.

Ian and Terri retired to the Gold Coast in 1981. He was an active member of a number of groups, Burleigh RSL, the Masonic Lodge, Legacy, the St Andrew's Society of Queensland Gold Coast Branch, Surfers Paradise Golf Club and, when it was formed, Graffiti Alert. Ian was a 'doer', not for him the role of chairman or president; he'd rather be the practical, hands-on engineer who got things done.

Proud of his Scot's heritage, he was secretary ofthe St Andrew's Society for a decade. He was renowned in his family for the meticulous way he organised reunions, keeping detailed notes of the organisation, and of the event itself. When Terri was diagnosed with breast cancer, it was Ian who explored every possible avenue for treatment then devotedly cared for her until she died in 1992. If anything, Terri's death increased Ian's need to help out others. He was proud of the fact he had assisted more than 200 Legacy widows and he enriched the lives of all those with whom he came into contact.

Active until the end, his fellow committeemen on the St Andrew's Society knew something was amiss when Ian failed to call them to remind them of their monthly meeting. He died on May 15 after a brief illness, aged 84.
Ian Forbes is survived by his nieces, nephews, their families and by his many friends.

"Lest We forget"