EULOGY - Dean Jason David Graham - 1980-2024

Welcome family and friends gathered here this afternoon to reflect and celebrate the life of a much-loved person. A son, a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle, a cousin, great friend and an all-rounded great community person.

Dean Jason David Graham was born at the Norfolk Island Hospital on the 17^th May 1980. He is the second child of Janet and David “Bear” Graham and beloved brother to Tracey and Brigette. (And we will just leave it there for siblings)

Dean came into this world in his own style, sending the hospital staff into a panic, having Phylis Brown and Joy “booboo” flustered with this little baby who was born blue. Mum can remember hearing Joy’s voice saying, “Fuck you, breath!”, much to everyone’s relief, Dean drew breath.

As a young boy, Dean loved getting into anything that he could reach. This included pulling the TV on top of himself once he learnt to walk. Exploring the world around him was a must and nothing would be left unturned. Once up and walking he was a normal busy boy, following his father around and trying very much to be so helpful. So much so, that, on one occasion whilst dad was fixing the tyre on one of the old cars, Dean thought that he was helping, turns out he created more that needed fixing. Because whilst dad was busy on one side of the car, Dean was busy at the front of the car driving a screwdriver through the front gill and into the radiator. This was a fun game to him, because the more he did it the more water came out… Let’s just say, him and dad didn’t often work on cars from that day on.

Not long after this, Dean also went through a stage of cutting stuff up with scissors. This would include his own hair, the cat’s whiskers, a goldfish and then mums’ finger as she tried to take the scissors off a very head strong little boy – resulting in her needing a few stitcher’s and every pair of scissors they owned placed up extra high and out of reach in the house.

Dean started Banyan Park under the watchful eye of Lorraine Kilbourn and Jan Reeves. The stories Jan shares about him from this time reflect the true soul of Dean, “beyond Kassard” and as she would tull “just semis his father, kassard and cheeky”. One day when Dean had been rather naughty and Jan se growl him, he looked up on her and tulla her, “I gwen larn myse fucken dad orn you”, to which Jan replied, “nort if I get to him fus”. Mum also recalls on another occasion at Banyan Park when Susan Pedal pulled her to the side to let her know that Dean had shared something very interesting that day for his show and tell. He proudly informed the class that he had these sunglasses dad had stolen whilst working the ship. It was at this time he was also asked what he might want to do when he grows up, to which he replied “work dar ship like myse dad”. This never came to past as Dean never did work the ship but did love to be on the water fishing.

Dean left banyan Park and attended Norfolk Island central school with a group a peers that would form a true friendship and bond which would last a life time.

At school, Dean loved art, cooking and eating his play lunch. Dean, left school after the first term of year 11. It was during this time that Dean suffered Asthma during the winter months and was placed on steroids, causing him to put on weight – This is how his nickname came about. Dean was given the nickname “puff” because we said he had puffed up semis one puffa fish.

As a young boy Puff loved football and in 1990 was part of a team of young footballers who went to Auckland to play. This passion stayed with him until in 1997 when playing football and the scrum collapsed resulting in Puff being flown out on a stretcher. He had pulled the ligament away from the 5^th & 6th vertebrae in his neck and was flown to North Shore Hospital, where he had a bone taken from his hip and fused together the vertebrae in his neck. As a result of this injury, it ended his football playing days and his much-loved surfing.

After leaving school Puff went to work at “Slicks”, he never completed a butchering degree but enjoyed the work and learnt a lot about breaking down meats and loved the customer interaction. Puff had a great time working with all the team at “Slicks”.

Puff enjoyed going out in the boat fishing with dad and fishing off the rocks. Puff really was in his happy place if he was fishing or on a water.

In Puffs teens of course he was like most young teenage boys and enjoyed the party life. The Brewery being his watering hole and the stories many could tell. There are a few we can share with you today and some that we will leave in the past. Puff had a little green Dihatsu, whilst leaving the Brewery one night and heading out to another after party along New Farm Road, Puff and dar little green car end up through dar winy hedge and into one palm tree side Nicky and Tosca own now. After making his way home early hours of that morning, in a rather intoxicated state, Puff stumbled upon dad in the bathroom, which he then informed dad that he had written off dar car and said to dad I also got this, putting his leg around the door to show half his knee torn open. Dar car didn’t make it, and puff had hit dar palm tree dar hard that the steering wheel had flipped itself inside out and it also meant dad had another fence to fix.

On one night after leaving the Brewery once again, Puff was followed home by the cops. He then proceeded to go in and wake dad up. The rest of the family was away at the time and him and dad were the only ones at home. He woke dad up and said to him “Dem cops out ya and dem want to talk gwen you”. Dad’s response to yet again another intoxicated Puff was “what for? Because I sleepen”.. Needless to say, dad made his way out to talk to the cops. Puff following behind. Dad tried to smooth things over with the cops who were saying they had followed Puff and clocked him doing well over the speed limit. The more they talked the more puff chimed in behind dad saying “Bullshit”, “I was doing more than that”. At which point dad told him to shut the fuck up and get inside.

Then followed the silver starlet, whilst dropping one girl home from dar Brewery he took dar corner near the powerhouse fe turn into Peters highway and he flipped dar car completely on its roof. He stopped the next car passing them, tip dar car back up on its wheels and drove it home with his head out dar window as dar roof se cave et in. He tull he hit dem loose gravel orn dar corner and then as it was right on Easter weekend, dar story change and dad tull a him “did you swerve to miss dar easter bunny?”

Puff was so proud that he had dem all fooled and was able to be in The Brewery at the age of 17. It was his lucky day, that when they finally asked him for ID it so happened to be on his 18^th Birthday.

During this time in early 1999, Puff also worked the Sound and Light show for Pinetree tours, and it is here where he was introduced to Raewyn. After a few weeks, Raewyn and Puff’s relationship had changed from working companions to something more… And it was during this time that Raewyn asked Puff to cut down one Pinetree at her place. Needing a hand Puff asked dad to come along to help. To cut the story short it took dad 3 weeks to figure out that Raewyn was Puffs girlfriend and as Raewyn says, Puff came to cut the tree down and never left.

Puff went onto work at Norfolk Island Telecom in 2004, where his interest of technology really took hold. He enjoyed working with the telecom boy’s and with his cheekiness, winding up the ladies at the front.

Puff’s greatest honour and achievement was on the 19^th January 2004 when Steven was born and then again on the 9^th April 2006 when Nathan arrived. This completing their little family. Puff took to fatherhood like a duck to water and truly loved teaching his children the ways of Norfolk and watching them grow. He was very proud of you both. He enjoyed the Lego and computer interest he had with Nath and was over the moon when Steven formed the same love for fishing as he did. He had a fishing partner in crime. Puff had the best time teaching his boys how to drive and as they say with him being his cheeky self would often pull up the handbrake, flick on the wipers, push on the hazard lights or flick the car into neutral whilst he was their passenger. Always hoping to get a reaction from either of them.

In 2010 Puff and Raewyn purchased the old Sim’s supermarket and renamed it. P and R Groceries was born. After a few years of owning the business Puff left Telecom to focus on the helping of running their own business. In April 2012, Puff expanded his career once again purchasing Pinnacles off Brig and Brog’s. Adding burgers to the menu, cooking up a storm and creating his famous BFC Chicken. At this time Puff employed Mia and with Brig working in P and R and Brog’s not too far away, Puff decided in his cheeky manner that we were all so sour that he gave us three a new name. He said we was semis Lemon, Lime and Bitters.

He kept running Pinnacles until another business option presented itself to him, when Puff and Raewyn was approached to open the Australia Post franchise. So, at the beginning of 2016, Puff closed the takeaway shop and installed post box’s and became a Postmaster in July 2016.

In the last few years Puff has been busy completing projects at home including wood working, installing and upgrading IT systems and helping install cabling for Riki at NIDS. Puff was the go-to person for many families and friends for phones, internet and computer problems. Somehow, he worked his magic and fixed the problems. Often it would be more “an operator problem than the device” he would say.

Puff has owned three boats over the years, building his first ever boat Enigma, then purchasing Sylvia and in 2021 he brought in a custom built Blue Water boat from New Zealand, this being his pride and joy. He loved fishing and loved taking people out orn a water. He would be the first of offer to go out and get fish for any function that needed it, whether this was for a fundraiser or a family members birthday. His last trip in the boat was to get fish for Chayla’s 21^st birthday in February.

In October 2019, Brig decided she wanted to go to Turkey and at this stage had no one to go with her. Puff tull he would go, and when Brig asked him if there was anywhere, he would really like to see in Europe or any other side, Puff replied, PISA. She tull o.k foot dar? He tull he wanted fe see dar leaning tower. So dem two set off. Going to Istanbul, Anzac Cove, Greece, Rome, Pisa, where Puff got to climb the leaning tower, London and home. This was a fabulous trip and one that created many memories and gave Puff the traveling bug. He travelled with many family members at different times for holidays and medical and both him and Raewyn just retuned on Tuesday 25th March from a trip to Cairns with mum and dad for a cousins 30^th birthday.

Puff was a kind and caring person. He would give you anything and help in any way he could. Often giving to others more than he ever got in return, and more than other people knew about. He had no enemies and was liked by so many people. He leaves an empty space that no one can replace.

Raewyn, the Graham family could not thank you enough for the love, compassion and support you have shown Dean over the years. You truly changed him and between the two of you, you grew a wonderful family and a magical relationship.

Steven and Nathan, your heart is hurting, and your heads are spinning now. But remember these things, your daddy loved you beyond his words and more than you will ever know. Remember the funny times and cheeky stories he shared. Laugh, smile and cherish these memories.

So, raise a glass of Bourbon and lemonade, chow down on some sweet wettles and remember the cheekiness that was Puff. Do not weep or cry for the loss of him but rejoice in the memories and good times he leaves with us. He had a love for eagles, so soar high and rest easy Puff, till we met you again, keep dar couch warm and dem marshmallow close.

The family would sincerely like to thank the following people.

• Ambulance team, Dr Peter Manns, Dr Jodie McCoy and Hospital Nurses
• Shane the Sexton, the class friends who dressed the mound.
• Tardy for driving Puff down House Road one last time and fe stop look orn a suf,
• The pallbearers, the grave diggers, wreath makers, Police for the escort, Lions for the PA system, Jodie Willaims for the service sheet lay out, Toni at Photopress, The Boys that made “Puffs” beautiful coffin, Tim Sheridan for taking the service, those that travelled to be here today and to all those that have dropped food and groceries off, called and offered support during this time. How lucky we are to live in such an amazing, loving and caring community like Norfolk. If we have missed anyone, please accept our sincere thanks.