IT WAS GRAND

Leader. Developer. Pilot. Mentor. Family man. Cairns mourns loss of a life dedicated to building a great community and toasting its success with a bottle of Dom Perignon

Farewell Bob Norman 1947-2018

THOSE who knew him best say there were two distinct sides to Bob Norman.

There was the savvy, smart, successful businessman who carved out a name for himself across the Far North as a leader, developer and pilot – and there was the kind, dedicated family man who would do anything for those he was close to.

The 71-year-old’s death was felt across the Far North yesterday by his heartbroken family, civic leaders and through the various industries he was involved with including the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, James Cook University and the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service.

They spoke of a man fuelled by a passion for his Cairns hometown who would leave a legacy and void that would be hard to fill.

His family, including wife Diane, described his successes and the influential positions he held around town, as well as the lighthearted, loving nature behind the father-offive and grandfather-of-seven.

“Outside the public persona, Bob loved practical jokes and spending time with his wife and family,” they said in a statement.

One of his closest friends Warren Godwin said he knew, when the pair met as 17-yearolds doing a mechanic apprenticeship in Mareeba, that his mate was something special.

“Ever since he was young he had that drive in him,” he said.

“It’s hard to understand but some people have just got it.

“He very rarely backed a losing horse. Everything he touched turned to gold through hard work.

“He gave me the incentive, coming from a working class family, to go on to better things. He loved Cairns. Cairns was in his blood.”

He described travelling Australia alongside Mr Norman in his helicopter, selling him many properties while working in real estate and enjoying the good life sipping Dom Perignon on the waterfront at legendary former seafood restaurant Tawnys.

“Bob always bought the Dom though,” he joked.

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning first met Mr Norman “before we reached double figures”, and recalled the rivalry of two young men from different sides of the Cairns tracks.

Young Robert Norman was raised “up on the hill” alongside the likes of the late-Charlie Woodward – another recently-lost leading light of the Cairns business community – whereas a then knee-high Robert Manning was “down on the flats”.

It was a match-up between the more well-off kids of Edge Hill and the knockabouts down in West Cairns.

“I always saw Bob as coming from an affluent family,” Cr Manning said.

“It’s marvellous how time tempers the harsh judgments we make when we’re young.

“Bob was a good bloke, a really good bloke.”

Cr Manning praised Mr Norman for a life well-lived and his contributions to the Cairns community.

“Bob and I were raised on different sides of the street, but in more recent years I came to really appreciate and recognise his commitment to the city,” he said. “Even more so, we became good mates.

“The city is richer for Bob being here and poorer that he’s departed.”