By KATHRYN BERMINGHAM
WARBURTON identity Robert Morter made an impact on the local community rivalled by few. Known by many for his love and commitment to local sport, he passed peacefully on 8 December, aged 72.
Robert was born in 1942 and spent the first 20 years of his life living in inner city Melbourne. He was the first of four children born to George and Lillias Morter.
In 1965, Robert married his wife Margaret and they purchased a house in Ringwood. Together they had three children – Lyndal, Clive and Jay.
Tragically, Robert and Margaret’s youngest son Jay was killed in a car accident in Launching Place in 1997.
Robert later became a proud pop to two grandsons, Luke and Jayden, who he enjoyed taking to Noojee or Macclesfield for fishing trips.
Robert began his career as a bank teller working at the East Kew branch of the State Bank and later worked at the Greythorn, Auburn, Camberwell Junction and Box Hill branches.
After spending some time as a teller, he was promoted to a manager of the bank and took up his first posting in this role at the Apollo Bay branch. He was later promoted to the Warburton branch, beginning his long association with the area.
Wherever he lived, Rob developed strong ties with the community and readily volunteered his time to several local groups.
While living in Apollo Bay, he was an active member of the football club, cricket club and badminton club. After moving to Warburton, he again became heavily involved with the Warburton Millgrove football club, cricket club and sports club as well as the annual auction committee.
Rob loved attending Warburton’s footy matches. He developed a reputation as a fair and accurate umpire, but off the field his loyalty to the Warburton Millgrove Burras always shone through. One outlet for this devotion was his car, which sported kookaburra number plates and car seat covers and became emblematic around the club.
He was also a member of the Richmond Football Club and the Melbourne Cricket Club.
The Richmond Football Club song was played at Robert’s memorial service, where many spoke of his love for local and professional sport.
His achievements were extensive both personally and professionally, and in 1987 he was awarded a certificate for 30 years of service with the State Bank. After retiring from the bank, Robert worked part-time with Farmhouse Small Goods in East Warburton, for a local builder in Millgrove, at a lemonade factory in Lilydale and at a bottle shop in Wesburn.
In the last few years, Robert enjoyed a trip to the Carribean to watch the cricket and later a cruise around the Carribean with Margaret. Rob’s grandsons Luke and Jayden spoke bravely with tenderness, emotion and some humour of their pop. They told of his love for fishing and the times he had taken them out and taught them both how to fish, his great fondness for cricket and footy and the way that he always had a joke to tell.
They spoke of their pop’s interest in their education and his constant involvement in their lives. Jerry Crunden, friend and fellow member of the Warburton-Millgrove sporting club, also shared reflections on the life of a man who devoted so much of his life to others.
Robert will be remembered for his commitment to his family and work, his love of sport and his notorious sense of humour. He was laid to rest with their late son.
