AN Eaglehawk man who lived to see his 105th year is being remembered.
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Harold Victor Toma, known to many as Wicky, died peacefully at Bendigo Hospital on April 5.
Family and friends gathered on Friday to celebrate a life well lived. Mr Toma's 102-year-old sister, Muriel Kelly, was among the funeral's attendees.
"As a family, we have been blessed to have had our father and grandfather with us for our whole lives, and you cannot underestimate the profound influence he had on all of our lives," a eulogy, delivered by Mr Toma's children, stated.
"He was a man of strong convictions, honour, integrity and honesty. He was hard-working and caring and he has passed those values on to his family."
Mr Toma was born in Sailors Gully in August, 1916. He spent most of his life in Eaglehawk, aside from five years of army service during World War II.
His children remembered him as an accomplished sportsman - a three-time premiership football player for "the mighty Borough."
"He was granted special permission during his [army] service to return and play football for Eaglehawk," they said.
Premiership years included 1935, 1941, and 1946, when Mr Toma was both captain and coach.
"Dad was a rugged, nuggety half-back flanker," his children said.
Mr Toma's footy playing days ended in 1947, after a back injury. He then took up umpiring, continuing for 10 years.
"After he finished umpiring, he continued to follow the Borough and was possibly the worst spectator in the club's history," the eulogy stated.
Mr Toma served as chairman of selectors in 1980, when the club won "both the firsts and seconds premiership in their centennial year."
It was playfully noted that there was no selection committee the following year.
Mr Toma's children paid tribute to his accomplishments in his working life, including 25 years at the family's eucalyptus factory in Myers Flat.
The factory belonged to Mr Toma's father before he and his brother, Bill, took it over in 1954.
"After he retired, he spent most of his life looking after his cattle at Myers Flat and growing fodder crops to feed his cattle. He was also a very keen veggie grower," Mr Toma's children recalled.
"He was a regular churchgoer and loved singing hymns at church. He also drove the Sunday school bus for 11 years until he could no longer drive."
Mr Toma spent a lot of time sitting and dozing in his old orange ute in the back yard, in his later years.
"This was his favourite spot, where he would catch the morning sun, and anyone coming in the side gate would automatically look towards the ute to see if he was sitting in it," the eulogy stated.
But the thing Mr Toma's children said stood out most about him was his love of family.
"This is what gave him the most enjoyment, what sustained him and motivated him to keep going as he got older," they said.
Mr Toma was one of seven children.
He met the love of his life, Thora, when they were in school. They married in 1941 and had five children.
In addition to his children, Mr Toma will be remembered by his 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grand children and great-great grandchild.
The family's newest member entered the world within days of Mr Toma's death.
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