Community
13 January, 2024
Farewell ‘man of action’
THE generosity, hard work and kindness of Joffre Louis (Jeff) Pezzutti was remembered and praised at his funeral mass at Bentley Park on Wednesday.
The former Cairns deputy mayor, councillor and cane farmer, Jeff Pezzutti died on January 1, 2024, aged 88.
More than 400 family, relatives and friends attended his funeral mass celebrated at St Therese’s Catholic Church.
Delivering the eulogy, Mr Pezzutti’s daughter Karen Chester spoke of his unwavering support to all those around him, as well as his generosity, loyalty and kindness.
She also spoke of her father’s passion for education when he sold his White Rock cane farm to the Anglican Church for the construction of Trinity Anglican School (TAS), as well as donating his time and resources to help make the school a reality.
TAS staff and students attended the funeral on Wednesday.
She said her father was hardworking, proud of his Italian heritage, dedicated to his family and a “man of action”.
The mass also included a tribute to Cr Pezzutti’s national service with the playing of the Last Post and a minute’s silence.
Mr Pezzutti was a councillor for both Mulgrave Shire Council and the then Cairns City Council where he served as deputy mayor before retiring in 2008 after 29 years of service.
Former mayors of Cairns, Bob Manning and Ron Davis, current Cairns Regional Council Mayor Cr Terry James, deputy mayor Cr Brett Moller, councillors and staff attended the mass, as well as Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch.
Cr James said he was “very saddened to hear of Jeff’s passing – he was a fair-minded person who never let politics get in the way of his beliefs”.
“A decent bloke who loved his community, he was in turn loved by his community,” he said.
“His practical advice and solutions abounded in the council chambers, he was well respected, and he had this unwavering passion for the people of Cairns.”
He served more than 25 years in local government, firstly with Mulgrave Shire Council and later Cairns city, as a councillor and as deputy mayor.
After 29 years of service, Mr Pezzutti retired prior to the 2008 local government election, but he remained very much involved the community and was closely associated with many local schools and sporting organisations.
He was also patron of many sporting clubs including Leichhardt Football Club senior and junior club patron.
“Jeff was a fine example of a dedicated community representative, and his commitment was recognised some time ago with the naming Jeff Pezzutti Park in Woree,” Cr James said.
Mr Pezzutti is survived by his wife Emma, daughter Karen and grandchildren Jack and Emily.
