By BRIDGET COOK
COMMUNITY minded, hardworking and, above all else, as a family man will be the way local identity Ivan Clarkson will be remembered.
Still reeling from his death on Wednesday 12 March, more than 800 family members and friends packed Blue Hills Rise, Cranbourne East, on Monday to pay tribute to their loved one and celebrate his life.
The huge crowd was a testament to the type of person Mr Clarkson, 79, was and the many connections he had established in the Casey community.
Mr Clarkson was born 80 years ago today (Thursday) in Horsham, the fourth child of 12.
When he was six months old, his family moved to Kooweerup and Mr Clarkson has remained in the south-east ever since.
His family moved to the Five Ways area when he was 20 years old and he met his beloved wife Judy, who was 15 at the time, not long after that at a dance in Cranbourne.
Two years later the pair got engaged and married at the Cranbourne Presbyterian Church.
They built their first home on Judy’s parent’s property at Five Ways where they eventually had their three children – Howard, Sharon and Jodie.
In 1967 the couple moved to a house in Cranbourne Drive where they ran their first childcare centre.
That house in Cranbourne, still owned by Judy Clarkson, remains as the Cranbourne Day Care and Kindergarten Centre.
The Clarksons expanded their childcare business which now includes six centres in Cranbourne.
They also went on to develop Blue Hills Rise and Blue Hills residences.
Despite building a successful business, Mr Clarkson’s biggest pride was his family – his three children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Speaking at his funeral, Mr Clarkson’s granddaughter Camilla Smith said he was a family man and assisted Judy in keeping the family together with the stress of the childcare centres.
“Judy and Ivan have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of their family life and have been proud of each and every achievement their children and grandchildren have ever accomplished,” she said.
His daughter Jodie Mitchell agreed.
“He was the most selfless man I’ve ever met,” she said.
“He lived for his family.
“He was the best father anyone could have asked for.
“He has a wonderful signing voice, was a great dancer and my parents had a wonderful marriage.”
Lynne Westland from Tobin Brothers Funerals, and a family friend, read out the eulogy at Mr Clarkson’s funeral and said she had seen in the past week the intense pain his family was feeling from the loss.
“To them, Ivan was larger than life itself,” she said.
“He was the patriarch of the family and if their tears and sadness could have brought him back, well, we wouldn’t be here.”
In October last year, Mr Clarkson and his wife moved to a 20-acre property in Clyde so that he could fulfil his dream to own a home on a golf course.
“So there’s no doubt that Ivan had plans for his future,” Ms Westland said.
