Lockyer community farewells ‘inspirational, influential’ man
Family, friends and the Lockyer Valley community gathered to remember ‘icon’ Greg Steffens who passed away.
Gatton
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A successful businessman and lifelong community server, Greg Steffens, was remembered as an "inspirational and influential man" who his family and friends could admire and look up to.
Most of all, Greg was a family man whose passion in life was being a great "husband, father and pa" who always wanted his family around him.
He had a cheeky side too, often playing a prank or practical joke on someone for fun.
Family, friends and members of the Lockyer Valley community, gathered at the Gatton Cemetery on Tuesday, to farewell the respected icon who passed away in December.
Members of the Lockyer Valley Crime Stoppers Committee, including Chairperson Councillor Janice Holstein, along with Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald, Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Tanya Milligan, Gatton Police Officer-in-Charge Senior Sergeant Rowland Browne and Acting Inspector Regan Draheim formed a guard of honour for Greg who was a founding member of the crime stoppers committee in the 1990s.
READ MORE: Helping to stop crime in the Lockyer Valley for 25 years
Uniting Church Gatton Pastor John Braithwaite led the service and said Greg "believed the impossible could be achieved".
The Australian flag was draped over Greg's coffin in recognition of his service to the armed forces.
Born and raised in Gatton, Greg joined the army at the age of 16 in Victoria.
Sister-in-Law Christine Steffens led the eulogy and said Greg started at the military engineering school and finished an army carpentry apprenticeship.
During his career he was stationed in Darwin, Sydney and Brisbane.
Christine said Greg met his wife Denise at a party where he was pouring beer.
Christine jokingly recalled that Greg was "so drunk, Denise did not take much notice of him".
A couple of months later, he worked up the courage to ask Denise out, and so their life long relationship started, Christine said.
READ MORE: Vale Greg Steffens, 'icon' of Lockyer Valley community.
After 20 years of service to the army, Greg retired and moved with his family to Gatton where eventually he and Denise later became the proud sole owners of Lockyer Valley Security Services, which to the day of his passing was Greg's "pride and joy," Christine said.
During his time owning the business, Greg joined Crime Stoppers and served as one of the longest members of the Lockyer Valley committee for 28 years.
"Greg was a reliable, trustworthy, honest and hardworking bloke," Christine said.
Cr Holstein said at the service Greg was a big supporter of the local community whose "dedication was unrivalled".
Greg was Queensland's Crime Stoppers Volunteer of the Year in 2018, and the Lockyer Valley Australia Day Volunteer of the Year that same year.
He always got into the spirit of things, and had a "wicked sense of humour", Cr Holstein said.
"The crime stoppers committee and Lockyer Valley community will just not be the same without Greg," Cr Holstein said.
Pastor Braithwaite said Greg was "such a wonderful man" that he donated his organs, including his skin meaning his legacy will continue.
RSL Queensland Moreton District President Les Nash offered his condolences on behalf of the Returned Services League to Denise and the Steffens family.
Mr Nash said Greg helped to forge a strong foundation of the RSL branch in Gatton that continues today.
He said Greg provided a number of voluntary services to the branch after serving his country in the forces.
At the end of the service, Greg's grandchildren came together to place a rose on his coffin.
Family and friends later joined at the Gatton Shire Hall for refreshments.
Gregory John Steffens "Greg" September 9, 1955 - December 21, 2020.
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