Graham Buchner: Warwick community mourns loss of beloved local legend
‘It was just a privilege to know him’: Close friends remember the Rose City legend as a man tirelessly dedicated to making his community a better place every day.
Warwick
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The Warwick community is mourning the loss of Graham Buchner OAM, a Rose City icon being remembered for his endless dedication to making his town a better place each day.
Graham died in hospital on Tuesday due to illness, aged 81.
He was a respected and prominent businessman at the helm of Warwick Freighters and Ag-Services for 46 years, before stepping down in 2010 to volunteer even more of his time to more than a dozen community organisations.
Whether it was on his ride-on mower slashing the lawns along highways into town or raising funds for the Leukaemia Foundation and Cancer Council, it was his tireless service to the Warwick community that earned Graham the respect of every one of his fellow residents.
Campaigning alongside Graham for more than a decade as part of the Warwick and District Road Safety Group to help keep the town’s drivers safe, David Kemp described the local legend as a “gentle giant”.
“We’ve worked very closely together over the years, he’s like a second father to me,” Mr Kemp said.
“He’s just a big fella with a heart of gold, and he was so passionate. He was a great community guy, and I hope I can follow in his footsteps in a way.
“He always let everyone have their say first and never remarked on anyone’s comment, he was always there to listen. He will be missed so dearly.”
Also fondly remembering the occasion was former Warwick mayor Ron Bellingham, who said seeing Graham out slashing the highways at 1am one morning was a true testament to his dedication and pride in Warwick.
“He’s very respected, but also a passionate volunteer within the community. He always had that trait and always contributed to anything and everything that was on in the community,” Mr Bellingham said.
“He was a great character and his contribution to the community was just immense, and most people would never know to the extent he’d support the community, and in a lot of cases with no personal recognition.
“There’s not many people around like him. He was a unique character, and it was just a privilege to know him.”
Graham received an Order of Australia medal in 2005 for his efforts in road safety and tourism, was awarded Southern Downs Citizen of the Year in 2017, and was a life member of the Warwick Chamber of Commerce.
His business achievements are immortalised in the Legends Laneway beside Warwick Town Hall.
From working with Graham in business to being a fellow member of the community he so loved, Stuart Judd said the loss would be felt deeply across Warwick.
“He put in thousands of hours of his own time effortlessly for the better of Warwick. It’ll be a long time before we ever see a volunteer who puts in the hours Graham Buchner did,” he said.
“He lived to make Warwick a better place – whether picking up a piece of paper or mowing the grass, he just wanted Warwick to be a better place.
“He was the best ambassador Warwick ever had.”
Graham is survived by wife Margaret and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Friends and family are invited to attend Graham’s funeral at the Warwick Funerals Chapel on Tuesday, October 7 from 11am.
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