Leongatha mushroom poisoning victims Don and Gail Patterson quietly buried

The son of Don and Gail Patterson has refused to comment on the deaths and any of the relentless rumours surrounding the case.

Don and Gail Patterson passed away after eating poisonous mushrooms. Picture: supplied

Two of the victims of the notorious toxic beef Wellington meal in Victoria’s South Gippsland have been quietly buried in a private service.

Don and Gail Patterson were buried in a private service earlier this week, the family said in a statement on Wednesday.

The family will, however, hold a public memorial for the estranged in-laws of Erin Patterson, who cooked the meal on June 29, apparently with wildly toxic death cap mushrooms.

Erin Patterson is a police suspect in the case but has stridently insisted the three deaths flowing from the meal were accidental.

The broader Patterson family have invited the community to a public memorial service to celebrate and remember the lives of Don and Gail Patterson next week in Korumburra, about 120km southeast of Melbourne.

The township of Korumburra south east of Melbourne. Picture: Picture: Ian Currie

“Both were cherished members of the community, known for their humility and the positive impact they had on those around them,’’ the family said in a statement.

“The Patterson family has expressed their deep gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and understanding during this challenging time. They have been touched by the many memories and stories shared by friends, acquaintances, and even strangers who were touched by Don and Gail’s kindness and generosity.

“In keeping with Don and Gail’s wishes and character, the family has chosen to commemorate their lives in a manner that reflects their values and the love they shared with their community.

“A private burial was held earlier this week, attended by close family members.

“The Patterson family kindly requests that the privacy of the family continues to be respected as they navigate this period of mourning and remembrance.”

Erin Patterson, the homeowner of where the fatal lunch took place at her Leongatha property. Picture: Brooke Grebert-Craig.

The son of the victims, Simon. has refused to comment on the deaths and any of the relentless rumours surrounding the case.

He and Erin Patterson have been estranged for several years. They have two children.

The third death involved Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson. Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson survived the meal but was rendered critically ill. All victims were in their 60s and 70s.

No mention was made of Heather Wilkinson’s funeral in the statement.

Police have revealed that Ms Patterson is a suspect in the deaths because she was the only one of five adults who either didn’t die or fall gravely ill after ingesting the death cap mushrooms.

Erin Patterson claims the fungi were button mushrooms bought from the supermarket and dried mushrooms from an unspecified Asian grocery.

Ms Patterson denied releasing the statement she made recently to police, detailing her version of events that led to the deaths of her former parents-in-law.

In the statement, Ms Patterson confirms for the first time that Simon Patterson had accused her of poisoning his parents on July 29.

Her statement made to police admits that she lied to investigators about the dehydrator, falsely claiming she had dumped it a long time ago before it surfaced soon after the deaths.

The police statement reportedly states that Ms Patterson also fell sick after serving the meal, which included so-called death cap mushrooms, which can cause organ failure.

She told police she had served the meal and allowed the victims to choose their plate before eating the meal herself.

Her children, she alleges, also had eaten beef Wellington left overs the following night but stripped off the mushrooms ­because they didn’t like them.