Vale Greg Steffens, ‘icon’ of Lockyer Valley community
Family, friends and the Lockyer Valley community are mourning the loss of Greg Steffens who has passed away at the age of 65
Gatton
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THE Lockyer Valley community is mourning the loss of an "icon" after Greg Steffens passed away tragically this week at the age of 65.
Greg was a major figure in the Lockyer Valley across many decades, as owner and manager of Lockyer Valley Security Services.
He also played an integral role in community policing, having been a founding member of the Lockyer Valley Crime Stoppers Committee in the early 1990s.
Councillor Janice Holstein, Chairperson of Lockyer Valley Crime Stoppers worked closely with Greg in his position as Vice Chairperson of the committee.
She said she was still coming to terms with Greg's passing, describing it as a "great loss" to the Lockyer Valley community.
Greg held the position for about 20 years, and was the only current member who had been there from the beginning, Cr Holstein said.
"We all cannot believe it," Cr Holstein said.
Greg's last public appearance was on Friday night at the Lockyer Valley Christmas Carnival, where he gathered with his family, friends and the other members of the crime stoppers committee to celebrate the festive season and the end of the year.
"We were all having a joke together on Friday night, and now we are just devastated," Cr Holstein said.
"Greg always went out of his way to do stuff for the community and was such a brilliant person that you could always just count on him.
"He was the glue that holds our crime stoppers committee together.
"There are a lot of people across the Lockyer Valley region that loved Greg as much as we did."
Greg won Queensland Crime Stoppers Volunteer of the Year in 2017, Cr Holsten said.
In 2018, Greg also won the Lockyer Valley Regional Council Australia Day Volunteer of the Year Award.
He was also a recipient of the Lockyer Valley Business Awards in 2019.
"He did so much work over so many years," Cr Holstein said.
Greg was also involved in the Liquor Industry Action Group (LIAG) involving all the hotels in the community.
Cr Holstein said Greg put in so much effort to keep the Lockyer Valley community safe.
"When you got to the general business section of our meetings, Greg always had something to bring up," Cr Holstein said.
Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald expressed his condolences to the Steffens family and said it was a great shock and very sad news to hear of Greg's tragic passing.
Mr McDonald said he had a long association with Greg and the crime stoppers committee during his time working as a police officer at the Gatton station and also during his time as Officer-in-Charge of Laidley.
Mr McDonald described Greg as "Mr Crime Stoppers" when it came to stuff locally.
"Greg would always go that little bit further," Mr McDonald said.
"He was always a doer," Mr McDonald said, adding Greg was always coming up with ideas for how to promote crime stoppers, whether it was going to the local banks, the university or local community events.
Mr McDonald said Greg was "never backward in coming forward," and stood up for the underdog throughout his life.
Greg was a very successful businessman too Mr McDonald said, running his security company.
Gatton Police Officer-in-Charge senior sergeant Rowland Browne said "Greg was a tireless volunteer in many community groups, he was one of those people that is vital to their continuance and success".
Sergeant Browne said Greg's enthusiasm and dedication was vital to the continuation of many local groups and he will be irreplaceable.
"His dedication to security and safety was legendary and he will be sadly missed," Sergeant Browne said.
Sergeant Browne offered on behalf of the Queensland Police service his condolences to Greg's family.
Cr Holstein along with Mr McDonald said it was time for the Lockyer Valley community to come together and celebrate Greg's life.
More on the life of Greg Steffens:
Mayor's pick honours top businessman
Crime fighting won't stop after call centre closure
Steffens recognised for his tireless efforts
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