Vale Phil Emery 1950-2023

THE Ocean Grove community has paid tribute to local stalwart Phil Emery, who passed away earlier this month.

Mr Emery, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2021 for service to the Greater Geelong community, died on May 15 at the age of 72.

A founder and committee member of the Ocean Grove Harriers running club since 1985, Mr Emery was also a committee member and director of the junior football program at the Ocean Grove Football Netball Club from 2013-14, and was the inaugural president of the Shell Road Sports and Community Pavilion in 2015.

Mr Emery also had a long association with the Barwon Coast Committee of Management, appointed as chair of its board in 2014 and led the group that drove the redevelopment of the Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club and Dunes Restaurant.

Barwon Coast chief executive officer Gary McPike said Mr Emery stepped down as chair due to ill health in 2021.

“He was part of the team that recruited me [in 2014] and quickly became chair, so it was a good six years he was chair, but he had been a very active member of the community for some time.

“He was very well respected among the different committees he served on – at Barwon Coast, he was certainly well respected and loved by the management team and staff here as well.

“He was always the sort of person who always had time to chat to everybody about everything, he was certainly very supportive of my role and the other managers at this organisation.

“It was a pleasure to work with him over those years and very sad that he’s gone.”

The Ocean Grove Body Surfers group also offered their condolences to Mr Emery’s wife Davina and his children Grant, Ali and Fraser.

“We mourn the loss of a great man and our great mate Phil! What a lovely, kind and generous man.

“We thought of his being invincible – a man who could do anything – including catching big waves – it’s so sad that now he has gone.

“We will miss you Phil, but our memories of you at the beach will live on.”