By Michael Doran
Hundreds of people turned out for the service held at Heritage Pioneers Chapel in Woori Yallock on 28 February to celebrate the life of Des Kirk.
Des started life in Oakleigh and his wife Debbie said that on his last day of school he went home, turned the record player up to full and belted out Schools Out by Alice Cooper while thinking of a future working on cars.
A lot of people in the Yarra Valley are grateful he did because for the last 18 years he repaired their cars, trucks, boats, floats and anything else that he could paint from his business, Des Kirk Panels, in Woori Yallock.
Debbie said that Des was a familiar sight charging around town on his electric scooter with his faithful dog, Pepper, by his side. She said “Even people who didn’t know him recognised him on that scooter and waved.”
Apart from his business and family, Des loved the Boy Scout movement and was a Cub Leader from 2002 until 2010 at the Woori Yallock Scout Group. “He loved the kids and it was really nice to see so many of them, some with their own children, come and farewell him,” Debbie said.
“I would often hear him working out in his shed and the music would go right up when an AC/DC song came on.”
Another passion was going up to his caravan in Eildon where he had a ski-boat and spent most of his time with a queue of young people lined up for a ride on his boat.
The last few years were a struggle for Des health-wise but Debbie said he was still putting a smile on peoples faces right up until he passed away on 19 February, way too soon at 57 years of age. “He put a smile on a lot of faces and I hope people remember him for a long time to come,” said Debbie.
Along with Debbie, Des is survived by his son Russell and daughter Melissa.
