A grand sporting identity

Farewell to local icon

THE sudden loss of Norman ‘Norm’ George De Grandi at the age of 94 will be deeply felt by his family and by Geelong’s sporting community.

For more than 70 years, Mr De Grandi kept Geelong’s cycling and sporting community well-equipped and riding smoothly.

He was a key link in the well-oiled chain that saw his business grow from a humble outlet in Mercer St to a sporting-goods emporium opposite Kardinia Park.

In doing so, he continued a rich vein of family involvement in bicycle retailing and repair that began in the old ‘bone shaker’ days.

Mr De Grandi was born in Warrnambool in 1925 and spent his infant years at Cudgee before moving to Geelong.

His father, George, and mother, Annie, established a cycle shop in Mercer St around 1929 after having shops in Nathalia and Warrnambool.

Mr De Grandi grew up along Mercer St and attended St Joseph’s College.

His love of cars and engines saw him ply his trade and mechanical skills with Roy Holden. His mechanic career was interrupted by World War II when he signed up as a sapper and saw service in New Guinea.

After the war he was “coaxed” into his father’s cycle shop to assemble and repair the trusted Valencia cycles, among many other brands.

That side of the business continues to this day.

Norman George De Grandi married Winifred Veronica Myles — now deceased — in 1954 and was a devoted husband and father to Damian, Mary Lou, Peter, Shane, Tim, Michele and Dominic.

As the family extended, Mr De Grandi would entertain the growing brood with a homecooked meal and a “tonic” glass of red.

He dearly loved them all. He “ribbed” and “jollied” them in his charming, respectful and embracing manner.

When he retired from active business, Mr De Grandi regularly went down each week to his office to check the store, oversee wages, and keep his finger on the pulse. Active and agile well into his 90s, he would regularly walk to and from the store or work in his garden on his days off.

While he admitted to not being a great sportsman, his vital participation as a sports donor, repairer, mechanic and assembler played a key role in the Geelong region’s sporting activities.

A regular attendee at St Mary’s parish, Mr De Grandi was devoted to his faith. And he practised what he preached.

He loved life, his wife and family and keeping those many cyclists and sporting communities in their seat and on the field.