Thursday, 23 February 2023

John Croft

Nicholas McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:54): I rise today to honour a great man who lived a full life and was loved by so many. John Edward Croft was born in Parkville on 22 January 1931 to Eileen and John Croft. His father was a veteran of Gallipoli. His mother ran a pub, the Pastoral Hotel in Echuca. John had an older sister called Dot – Dorothy. John himself was schooled at St Patrick’s boys college in Ballarat from the age of nine, where he was a boarder until he was 16. John, throughout his life, travelled extensively. He met the love of his life Joan, and together they had and were blessed with four children, John Jr, Suzanne, Janette and Robert.

John was also a proud member of the Liberal Party. John was renowned for finding sites and erecting corflute signs all over Melbourne. He would climb fences and trees even at 90 years old. He did the groundwork. His daughter Suzanne shared with me that John loved the fact that he lived on a corner block as it meant he could have twice the number of corflutes at elections – until the last campaign, when he received a letter from his local council advising him he had to take some down. John throughout his time in the party worked with many members and for them, helping them to be elected – Heidi Victoria, Gladys Liu, Josh Frydenberg, Michael Sukkar and others.

John and Joan have left us an amazing legacy that lives well beyond their own children to their 10 grandchildren, Danielle, Melissa, Benjamin, Christopher, Sarah – who sadly passed away – Paige, Kahala, Chelsea, Madeline and James; and four great-grandchildren, Maximus, Charlie, Joshua and Lily. John Edward Croft passed away on 28 January 2023 at 6 pm, comforted and by the side of his daughter Suzanne McIntosh, who he loved, and his family. We thank them. They have left our state and our nation better for their lives.