A life well lived: John Purbrick’s family and friends will celebrate John’s 93 years — a record for a Purbrick male.
Reginald John Stevens Purbrick, known as John, passed peacefully at Nagambie Health Care on the morning of Thursday, June 22 after a life lived with enthusiasm and passion.
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Born in London on February 2, 1930, he came to Australia with his parents, Marjory and Eric, and settled at Tahbilk Winery in 1931.
Educated at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School as a boarder, John embarked upon an initial stint as a jackeroo in the Western District of Victoria and the Riverina of NSW in 1948 after leaving school.
He travelled to England in 1949, before returning to jackerooing in Australia in 1951.
Having developed exquisite horse-riding skills, he regularly competed in country race meetings, often finishing in the top three.
John met Bonnie McAllister at the Deniliquin Picnic Races in 1952. The pair married 1953, by which time he was managing his own rice farm at Moulamein on the Edward River in NSW.
He sold the property in 1955, returning to Tahbilk to work with his father and manage the farm on the estate for the next 15 years.
John served on the Goulburn Shire Council from 1962 to 1964 and the Victorian Wine and Brandy Producers Association, now Wine Victoria, as well as other industry committees.
In 1970, John was promoted by his father to general manager of Tahbilk.
In 1975, John became managing director, before handing over the reins to his son Alister in 1980.
Family: Three generations of Purbricks, Alister, John and Hayley.
In 1979, John moved to Sydney to set up the successful Stone Wine Company, which distributed Tahbilk and other wine brands, increasing Tahbilk’s sales in NSW.
In 1983, John decided to try something different. He joined the Regent Hotel as its first sommelier at Cables Restaurant and stayed in the role for two years.
After leaving Cables Restaurant he had various stints as a delivery man and jack-of-all-trades in Sydney and he returned to Tahbilk as marketing director from 1989 to 1995 before being appointed chairman of the board.
John led a happy and, for most part, healthy life. He pursued and embraced change and was no stranger to controversy.
A statement, released by the Tahbilk family, said: “We will miss this unique man, miss his strengths, and miss his flaws and quirks, because this was what made John Purbrick the man he was.”
John is survived by his former wife, Bonnie, their three children, Alister, Debbie and Mark, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service to celebrate John’s life will be held at the Tahbilk Wetlands View Restaurant on Tuesday, August 15, from 1.30pm.
The memorial service will be live-streamed. Visit www.tahbilk.com.au after Tuesday, August 8 for streaming log-in details.
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