Final toll for bellringer

By Jim Mynard
BOB Hillbrich was a bellringer from the old school, pioneer farmer, trusted friend and loved family man.
Mr Hillbrich died on Monday, 20 March, aged 92 years.
He attended Berwick Primary School and each morning rang the school bell and all of Berwick would set their clocks by his first toll.
His funeral service was held in the old school building which is now part of Pioneers Park.
His eulogist said Robert Alexander Hillbrich was born on 8 September 1913.
He was the eldest of seven children born to Ada Maud and Lesley Alexander Hillbrich.
Lesley was born in Berwick and worked in the Berwick quarry, now Wilson Botanic Park.
He passed away in 1956 and Ada died in 1975.
Bob married Margaret Anne White (Peggy) and they had three children, Robyn (Cotter) in 1949, Yvonne (Corrigan) in 1950, and Dennis in 1952.
He recalled that he had to go out and help his grandmother on the farm when his grandfather had died from consumption at an early age.
He had memories of his grandmother doing big cookups on the weekends for all family members who would arrive by horse and cart.
Bob obtained employment at several properties after leaving school and became a valued employee, especially skilled with horses.
He worked on the Greaves property that stretched along Clyde Road and is today covered with houses.
He cared for and rode the horses at the Cranbourne Hunt Club where the owners would board their horses ready for the hunting meets.
Because of his experience, Bob was asked to look after the draught horses at the annual Berwick Show for many years and his grandchildren loved to visit him there.
During the war he saw active duty in New Guinea where he was a runner.
His version of things was that he was assigned the job because he was known to be responsible and modestly described his job as having to run out through gunfire to give the orders to the soldiers.
He said he had to be bloody quick or he would have been shot.
He suffered from malaria when in the army and had some leave when he was billeted with a family in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, to recuperate.
Bob had an excellent reputation as a builder and built houses around Dandenong, eventually moving his family to a new house he built on small acreage on Frankston Road, next door to Glen and Margie McLeish’s family who became lifetime friends.
This move enabled Bob to have enough savings to buy his first dairy farm of more than 40 hectares on Jacques Road, Narre Warren North.
Bob had always had a burning ambition to buy his own farm after his grandfather’s farm had to be sold after the early death of his grandfather when Bob was a boy.
Bob and Peg worked hard on the farm, caring for their three children and, in his spare time, building a new family home and creating a beautiful garden.
There was an excellent community spirit in Narre Warren North and Bob and Peg were quickly involved in all local committees and projects — Bob offering his building skills to build the scout hall, guide hall and new community hall.
A favourite memory from Robyn, Yvonne and Dennis were the pancakes that Bob would sometimes cook and leave in the pantry for them after school.
He had a real sweet tooth and usually had lollies on hand.
Bob joined the Masonic Lodge at Berwick and both he and Peg were involved with this for many years and made many friends.
There were lots of lodge social gatherings such as car rallies that ended in a barbecue at their home.
Again Bob’s building skills were well utilised in renovations and repairs to the Masonic Lodge Hall in Berwick.
Ten years ago the farm was sold and Bob moved into a unit at Fiddlers Green, Gloucester Avenue, Berwick.
He enjoyed living there, taking his dog Jack for long walks and visiting Peg in the home at Berwick Special Accommodation which he later moved into.
He loved his grandchildren Yvonne’s children Trentyn, Tamara, and Kalita and Robyn’s children Sasha, Meisha, Angelika and Ryan.
They all adored him and loved to spend time with him.
Bob also loved his great grandchildren Kiahn, Jade, Lexie, Tyra and little Sol.
He came alive when in their company and they loved him too.
He was a good man, loved and respected by many and always there in the background, quietly enjoying family gatherings.