Grievance debate - Kenneth Gazzard

Tuesday August 24, 2021

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (16:43): Today, I rise to pay tribute to Kenneth Harold Gazzard, born 21 October 1929 and deceased 12 July 2021. He died peacefully surrounded by family and his wife of 63 years. He was the adored and deeply loved husband of Lorraine. He was the greatly loved father of Chris, Peter, Michael, Cathy, Paul and Matthew and respected father-in-law of Lyn, Carolyn, Marcia, Marijan, Jenni and Marika. He was adored by his grandchildren, Anthony, Sally, Daniel, Mitchell, Meg, Emily, Laura, Jack, James, Max, Noah, Lucy, Grace and Ned, and he was the special great grandfather of Anthony and Hayley's daughter, Matilda.

Ken Gazzard was a giant in the community of Mount Gambier. He was born in Casterton on 21 October 1929, the second child of Harold and Ann Gazzard. It was evident that Ken had ambition and was not afraid of hard work. Borrowing £100, he purchased a truck and spread superphosphate. He then bought a milk round and soon after added a bread round as well. When these rounds finished, which was usually about 11am, he would then work as a printer after 5 o'clock.

Ken met his wife, Lorraine, in 1951 at a woolshed barbecue at Casterton and they were married six years later in 1957. It was in 1954 that Ken started selling cars in Casterton. Always on the lookout for opportunities, Ken purchased a car yard in Elizabeth Street, Mount Gambier, in 1958 and so began the dynasty of Carlin & Gazzard car yard. From such humble beginnings, C&G not only has a second-hand dealership but also has a number of new car franchises—Mercedes Benz, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Jeep, Honda, LDV and Ram Trucks.

I had the great pleasure of knowing Ken through his son Peter, who is a very good friend of mine. Ken was always liberal with his praise and often gave sage and thoughtful advice. Some of Ken's regular quotes are as follows, 'Won't matter one day,' 'Yesterday's gone forever,' 'We're only passing through,' 'Can't take it with you,' 'You know, I won't be here one day,' and, 'In any case, make sure peace at any price.'

It was Ken's love of family that really shone through. I will read a passage out of his story, called 'A condensed version of Ken's life' which is in the Reflection section and it echoed greatly with me. It was about if you face tough times or uncertain times, as follows:

In any case, if you count to 10 and go back to basics, with thought and concentration you can achieve anything you want to…On the personal side, I have been very fortunate. Lorraine is a wonderful wife and mother and we have had a great marriage of over 50 years. I am very proud of my six children and all the grandchildren. I would also like to acknowledge my daughters-in-law, Carolyn, Marcia, Jenni and Marika, son-in-law, Marijan, and former daughter-in-law, Leanne. They have been a great support over the years and are much loved members of our family.

I am very proud of the business we have created and, most importantly, our family, and I wish our children and grandchildren continued good health, happiness and success in the years to come.

I think that reflects very nicely on Ken and his love of his family. If you know the Gazzard family, it is a name that is synonymous with Mount Gambier and Tenison Woods College. I think most of them hold sporting records for that school. Family is a word that you would associate closely with the Gazzard family. It is not only a very successful business but a proud tradition in our area. Ken's legacy lives on through his family. I pay my respects to a great man and a great Mount Gambier resident, Kenneth Harold Gazzard.

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