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Fourth Word of Remembrance: Grant Stecum

November 5, 2014

I met Michael nearly 30 years ago. He was a successful applicant for a Senior Executive job in a Commonwealth government agency. I was responsible for getting the best possible candidates. Somehow he won the job!

Michael and I had instant rapport and it wasn’t long before I accepted an invitation to join his team. So for the next few years we worked on a number of high profile and controversial public Health policies and programs.

Michael was a brilliant strategist, a masterful tactician, a communicator par excellence and a meticulous administrator. The sort of person you wanted to see leading Australian public policy and programs.

But it was his management and leadership of people that set him above the rest. He had such great charm.  He always found ways to get the best out of each and every one working for him. A rare and invaluable skill.

It was no surprise to see Michael establish so many lasting friendships from his places of work. His model of work life balance made it all seem to roll into one. And we all had fun.

Sharing interests in people and places, food and drink, like many of you, I enjoyed some great times with Michael. So often the life of the party, he loved nothing more than being amongst friends and colleagues. The more the merrier.

All of those qualities made for an excellent travelling companion and such a raconteur. So much reading and so many stories.

Just 3 short years ago we travelled together in Italy. One beautiful autumn morning, Michael and I sat side by side in a compact, but very stylish, Citroen DS3. Not Michael’s preferred, spacious Renault Scenic. Side by side meant shoulder to shoulder, 60-40 space allocation. In fast right hand turns it could change to a fairly uncomfortable ratio of 70-30.

Our point of departure was the beautiful Castello di Montalto in Tuscany. Our destination – Sorrento. I had planned the trip fairly tightly so our late departure meant that I had to catch up.

Michael and I had agreed that I would be responsible for our safe passage and he would take care of music, wine, food and of course highly intelligent and at times scandalous historical commentary and geographical descriptions of regions and villages along the way.

Pretty soon we were on the A1 mixing it with the locals – the faster ones. That was us - Grande and Piccolo - on the autostrada. After a couple of hours we were back on schedule. Knowing how much Michael does not like to miss meals, at 2 minutes to 12 we pulled in to an Auto Grill. Michael was thrilled. We both knew that at midday, the wraps come of the substantial luncheon buffet.

We had no trouble starting the queue. You all know that Clarkie’s had an unparalleled appreciation of food. Normally I would defer to Michael and put him ahead of me. Not that day. He was giving favourable reviews to everything on offer. So I grabbed a salad and cool drink and headed around the corner to find a quiet table.

Several minutes passed and there he was. Moving slowly around the corner with Italy’s biggest tray of spectacular Italian food. 3 metres away he yelled warningly “Don’t say a word!” I didn’t need to. We were laughing by the time he sat down, having unloaded what must have been, one of everything on offer. We joked about our long journey that morning and that it was important that superbly fit racing car drivers and navigators like us must eat a lot.

Another few minutes passed and Michael started laughing as he caught the look on my face. Wheeling around the same corner – here comes Mama. In her fresh white tunic and grinning from ear to ear, Mama carried Italy’s second biggest tray. But just one dish of pasta.

Mama lavished Michael with another big smile and Buon appetito Senore! It was then I noticed the bowl of pasta. Not your average size but one that would normally have fed a family of 6. Michael was in heaven.

So much more laughter as Michael and I ate and chatted and reviewed the map for the afternoon hop to Sorrento.

So Michael. We extended the hand of friendship to each other all those years ago. I wouldn’t change a thing.

You have been a man of great spirit, intellect, and compassion, a sensitive and generous soul. You were such a great friend and I will miss you.

Those professional skills I referred to earlier – I do my best to follow your lead.

But if just a little of that spirit, that compassion and generosity rub off on any of us who knew you, then we have so much to be grateful for having had you in our lives.

Cheers Clarkie

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