Debates Day 2 - Wednesday 14 February 2007
Parliamentary Record 12
Debates for 10th Assembly 2005 - 2008; 10th Assembly 2005 - 2008; Parliamentary Record; ParliamentNT
2007-02-14
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Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES Wednesday 14 February 2007 3896 Jeremy, Patrick, Ruby and Alistair on their tragic loss. If a measure of someones life and the esteem in which they are held is their funeral, Phil was loved by everyone. There were so many people from so many different walks of life and areas of Darwin society and from East Arnhem who were at his funeral; it was truly a tribute to his life. I was saddened to learn of the death of Snow Procter, a constituent of mine with whom I shared many a cold beer. Snow died after a long illness. He had a stroke in 2004 and never really recovered. I first met Snow when I was doorknocking, and I liked his mischievous grin and the way that he could tell a joke. He was very friendly and supportive to me. Snow, who was Adrian James Procter, was born on 7 January 1935 in South Australia, one of seven children. After leaving school, Snow worked in the mills before joining the Navy in 1952 at age 17. He served in many different areas, including the now infamous Montebello Islands off the north-west coast of Western Australia where Australia entered the atomic age when Britain exploded its first atom bomb on the islands in 1952. In 1959, Snow was out of the Navy and travelling to Brisbane where he met Deidre somewhere around 1962 or 1963. He took up work with oil surveyors, but after he and Deidre were married in 1964, he started work with the fire brigade servicing fire extinguishers. A couple of years later, he switched careers again and joined Carrier Airconditioning. It was whilst working with Carrier that Snow first travelled to Darwin as well as Papua New Guinea for working stints. During the first seven years of marriage, Snow spent three-and-a-half years in all away from home, leaving Deidre to raise Michael, who was born in 1965, and Ashley, born in 1968. Whenever Snow came home, the boys would not leave his side for fear he would be off again. It made it very difficult for Snow to get down to the pub for a beer with his mates sometimes, and that was probably a joke that Snow would have told, but I know that he loved his boys. In 1973, the Procters travelled to Darwin for a two-year contract with Carrier. At the end of the first year, they left Darwin for a break down south, leaving their caravan home behind to face the wrath of Cyclone Tracy, which hit three days later. Snow would often joke about that. He was recalled to Darwin due to the need for airconditioning expertise during the rebuilding. The family arrived back in March 1975 and were housed on the liner Patris, which was tied up at Darwin waterfront for nine months to provide emergency accommodation for up to 900 people. Deidre hated deep water and this was a particularly trying time for her with her two young adventurous boys. On arrival back in Darwin, Snow went looking for his caravan and spied a bloke towing it away down the street. When approached, the bloke told Snow he had been asked to tow it for the owner. The bloke soon found out who the real owner was; it was Snow. Following a couple of years living in Nightcliff, the Procters moved into Ambon Street in Wagaman 30 years ago. In 1975, Snow left Carrier and joined Ansett, working as a porter at the airport until his retirement just before the airlines collapse. Snow always had a sense of timing. He left Darwin just before Cyclone Tracy, and he left Ansett just before it went down. I heard one story that Snow had a great way of getting even if he felt he had been wronged. He had been badly treated at the MVR once, and he recognised the offender at the airport on his way to London. Snow had great pleasure in ensuring his baggage made the long trip - via Argentina. In the words of his great friend, Barrie Martin: Snow was a mighty little bloke. Snow was very active in the Freemasons Lodge, and he was most interested in helping others in regard to the Masonic Village at Parap. He served as secretary and never failed to turn up for a working bee. He was also available to anyone needing the services of a JP. Following his retirement, Snow turned to his great passion, orchids. He had a fantastic display of orchids and spent many hours tending them. Of course, there was football and he one of Collingwoods most ardent supporters. He had a great collection of memorabilia, including teacups, teapots and numerous stubby holders, of course. Snow loved his orchids, his fishing, his football, his German Spaniels, and his beer. He lived his life to the fullest and will be sadly missed by all who new him. My sincere condolences to Deidre, Michael and Ashley, and to his mother, brothers and sister. Mrs MILLER (Katherine): Madam Acting Deputy Speaker, I thought at the end of last year, with all that had happened health-wise to either the members of this Assembly or their families, that somehow with New Year 2007, everything was going to be different and better. Unfortunately, tragedies do not take any notice of the dates and are totally unpredictable. This last couple of weeks have dealt out more than a fair share of sadness for many people, with the deaths of four people in and around Katherine,