By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
SPRINGVALE will farewell one of its ‘living treasures’ John Beus at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Springvale today.
Mr Beus, a founding member of Springvale Benevolent Society, died at the age of 92 last Monday after an aneurism in his aorta. He was surrounded by 30 close family members at Monash Medical Centre.
He is survived by four children, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mr Beus’s kindness was felt by many after he moved to Springvale from war-torn Holland in 1950.
His daughter Trudy remembers shopping with her father “always took 10 times longer because he knew everyone in Springvale”.
She said the house was often overrun by police officers during her father’s stint as a magistrate. “It was probably during that time that he came to know what Springvale’s real needs were.”
He set up the state’s second ‘St Vinnies’ shop in Springvale, established a migrant resource centre, helped at Forsythe House – a home for young offenders – and was involved with Springvale’s 50-year-old benevolent society from its inception right up until two weeks ago.
While living at Lexington Gardens retirement village in later years, Mr Beus advised the village’s management on how to care for migrant residents.
He and his late wife Ann were tireless charity workers, Trudy said. “I think it was a result of coming from a war-torn country and seeing where there was a need to help.”
A former David Jones window designer, Mr Beus was named one of Greater Dandenong’s living treasures in 2005.
His other recognitions include Greater Dandenong’s senior citizen of the year, the City of Springvale Award, a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club of Noble Park in 1999 and an Order of Australia Medal in 2000.
Springvale Benevolent Society president Joe Rechichi said Mr Beus was a strong, humble supporter of less-fortunate people.
“He led with such wisdom and did it with all his heart. He ensured everyone would get support. On leadership, he taught me everything I know. Sadly, we’re going to miss him a lot.”
He said Mr Beus had missed hardly a meeting of the society and supplied much of the information for its recently published history.
Mr Beus was known as ‘the big tall Dutchman’ in his early days at Springvale but soon his name was well-known for being a gentle, compassionate citizen, Mr Rechichi said. Greater Dandenong mayor Youhorn Chea also paid tribute to Mr Beus. “John’s commitment to those less fortunate was second to none.”
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