Ocean Grove is mourning the loss of Jack Murphy, who gave so much to the community.
Jack was a much-loved crossing supervisor at Surfside Primary School and gatekeeper for Ocean Grove Football Netball Club.
Jack stood down from his 20-year role of ‘lollipop man’ in late 2020 due to ill health, receiving a flood of cards and well wishes from current and former students.
“It is with great sadness that we let our Surfside community know of the passing of our long time crossing supervisor Jack Murphy who has been battling illness over a period of time,” the school said.
“Jack was such an important part of our school community and so many people’s lives at Surfside as we were all a special part of his. We pass on our condolences to Jack’s family and the special people in his life.”
The Voice visited Jack, then 85, in late 2020 after he had hung up his school-crossing lollipop.
“It’s been the best 20 years of my life being there, without a doubt,” he said at the time.
“Every day going there, winter, spring, summer and autumn, it didn’t make any difference. It was magnificent.”
Jack’s two decades at his crossing has resulted in small children growing up and teachers come and go.
“I’ve seen those kids grow up,” he said.
“Yesterday I saw one of the girls down the street pushing a pram.
“I see them on the football field, I go into the fish and chip shops and they serve me. It’s great. All the parents have been fantastic. You couldn’t ask for better people.”
Jack volunteered at the footy club for two decades, collecting gate takings and selling the weekly program at Memorial Reserve.
Ocean Grove Football Club football director Cam McGregor spoke at Jack’s funeral this week describing him as having an “instant and warm and caring persona”.
“How are we looking today, how many kids do we have playing?,” Jack would ask Mr McGregor.
“(He was) genuinely interested in how we would perform, but making sure we did it with homegrown talent. Talent he had seen years earlier crossing the road outside Surfside Primary, but also including Star of the Sea pupils.”
