The Rotary Club of Burnie hereby seeks to mark the very recent passing in June 2023 of Past President Graeme Muir, our longest serving member. Some basic facts:
Date of Birth: 8 July 1930
Partner’s name Dorothy (deceased)
Date of Induction: 20 Oct. 1968 (Graeme had been a member of Apex)
Classification: Fabric Retailing
Senior Active: 20 Oct. 1983
Awarded Paul Harris Fellow in 1992
Offices Held:
70/72 Community
74/75 Fellowship (+ 78/79)
79 – 81 Attendance
81/82 Program
84/85 Bulletin
88/89 Vocational
92/93 Pres. Elect & Membership
93/94 President
94/95 International Service
08 – 23 Attendance
Some of Graeme’s Rotary experiences:
In 1971-72, Graeme was Community Service Director under President Ken Webb who was a hard task master. Near the end of Webb’s year, Ken said he wanted to build a rescue ambulance. ‘There was a need to be able to mobilise auxiliary lighting, jacks, cutting tools, hoists, to name just a few items’ Ken said. Graeme’s committee, though, refused to help; they’d had enough of these never-ending jobs from their President! Graeme gave this news to Ken, but at the following week’s club meeting – while looking pointedly at Graeme – Ken Webb announced that he had obtained a suitable ambulance and even had found most of the materials to equip it.
In 1992, the Burnie Marine Board and a company, North Limited, agreed to host a yacht race from Melbourne to Burnie. The Royal Melbourne Yacht Club organised the race details, while a consortium of Burnie service clubs (Burnie Rotary Club taking the lead) organised the on-shore activities at the Burnie Port. Graeme Muir, himself on the Burnie Marine Board, was also a member of the service club consortium. Graeme recalled that one man came to him and said; ‘I think you have a problem with toilets.’ Graeme agreed – there simply were no toilets on the wharf! The man said; ‘I will supply all the toilets and I will supply the cleaners to look after them. You forget about it.’ Many years later, that man, Murray O’Connor, became President of Burnie RC.