In this day and age of "not enough", where so much of life is about having more, it is both a relief and a breath of fresh air to meet someone who is truly content with what they have.

Even as a younger man growing up near the Wimmera River at Lochiel, Bob had the sense to recognise true teaching and wisdom when he heard it. Plucking a feather from each passing goose, young Bob looked up to his many teachers, those figures who sparked his passion for engines.

With an enduring love for the river, rowing, automotive engineering and bowls, it was the camaraderie, friendship and teamwork in physical activity, common purpose and sport that marked Bob's life. Bob appreciates the quirks and idiosyncrasies in the people he met along the way.

This story pays homage to the people that influenced his life.

His life took a few unexpected turns with his three year "walkabout", and the decline of his dear wife Kathleen; the rock of the family.

A 'hands on' man, Bob has the grace to focus on what's in front of him, whether it's the next stroke, or an old engine to be restored to it's original condition. Respectful, generous, mindful, and cooperative, with a side serve of caution, he navigated the bends in the river of his life with honour, decency, and good humour.

Inextricably linked with the Wimmera, he lived his whole life a part of the communities of Dimboola and Lochiel, despite the opportunities to move.

A man who know how to be content and humble, he saw his life as ordinary, but it is truly no less than extraordinary.

This is Bob's story.