By Garry Howe
ONE of the biggest funeral crowds seen in Cranbourne for years turned out to farewell “champion bloke” Richard ‘Dicky’ Custerson last week.
The founder and managing director of entertainment and events company A Positive Move lost his short battle with cancer on Monday 3 October aged 53, only days after watching his beloved Western Bulldogs win the AFL premiership from his palliative care bed.
Up to 1500 people turned up to pay their respects at St Agatha’s Catholic Church in Cranbourne on Wednesday 12 October, with mourners spilling out on to the street.
They included many big names from the sporting and entertainment worlds, including former AFL coaches Stan Alves, Kevin Sheedy and Terry Wallace.
His best mate, former Melbourne star and VFL coach Brett Lovett, described Dicky as “a people whisperer”. He spoke fondly of the regular ‘Dicky chats’ and said that his mate always knew what to say and when and how to say it.
“He is a unique man, who has left his footprint on those lucky enough to be on the bus of life with him over his 53 years,” Brett said.
“The outpouring of genuine love by so many, particularly during his recent battle, is testament that he was a very special person to many.”
The eldest son of Des and Maureen Custerson, Dicky was born into a musical family. He and his four siblings grew up in Dandenong and were regulars at local dances and events as either part of the Custerson Family Band or later the sibling combination of Custerson and Co.
Around the same time, Dicky’s musical involvement extended to the band Passenger with a few schoolmates and a duo Double Shot with good friend Andrew Schultz.
As Double Shot, they cut their entertainment teeth at The Settlement Hotel in Cranbourne, where A Positive Move was also born almost two decades ago.
A Positive Move event manager Sue Mason wrote a tribute on behalf of the staff, saying their boss always brought positivity and laughter into the office.
“He always valued everyone’s opinion and made sure when we had staff meetings that everyone’s contribution was listened to and valued. No one was more important than anyone else, whether you were an old staff member or a new one.”
Stan Alves described Dicky as “a giant of a man – a big teddy bear with a heart of gold”.
Dicky is survived by wife Leanne and children Tayla, Wayde and Camille.
* Look out for a full tribute to Dick Custerson’s life in Star News Group papers next week.
