Much-loved community figure Michael Thornbury passed away aged 83 on Monday, April 5.
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Mr Thornbury was a former Ararat Rural City councillor and former president of both the Lions Club of Ararat and the Ararat & District Cycling Club.
Mr Thornbury became a member of the Ararat & District Cycling Club in 1969, about a year after the club was formed.
Mr Thornbury served several roles at the club. He was secretary for more than 20 years, was the president and treasurer for three terms, and regularly served as the club's press officer.
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Mr Thornbury's son-in-law, Brian Howlett, began racing at the club as a child in the early seventies.
He said Mr Thornbury helped grow the club by the inclusive atmosphere that he fostered.
Mr Howlett said Mr Thornbury helped make the club more inclusive.
"He welcomed everyone into the club," he said.
"I had many people say to me at his funeral how much he had welcomed them and how he helped them as much as possible.
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"I had some people say he had turned up to their door with bikes for the kids."
Mr Thornbury's contributions to cycling spread well beyond Ararat as well.
In 1992 he was made a life member of the Victorian Cycling Federation.
"In the mid-seventies, he organised the Ararat Track Carnival event and basically coordinated all of it," Mr Howlett said.
"He then built a relationship with Thomas Jewellers in Ballarat and established what would become known as the Thomas Jewellers Diamond Stake.
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"It was pretty amazing. You'd only get a handful of females around the cycling circuit back then, but that event was really big.
"He was also the person behind the Ararat Business House Wheelrace, where he went out and tried to encourage every business in Ararat to sponsor a rider, so the winner of the race was always aligned with a business, and that business would be given a shield to hold for 12 months."
Mr Howlett also recalls Mr Thornbury had a special gift for commentary.
"He was a great commentator," he said.
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"He commentated on cycling around Victoria, and we were very lucky to have him locally at club racing. He just made racing interesting.
"He had a real knack of being able to pick up and memorise names.
"I remember we had Matthew Keenan - who now broadcasts on the Tour de France for SBS - come, and he turned around to Mick and said, 'how do you do it?' Because he was amazed at how well Mick could call the events."
Mr Thornbury was also a highly active member during his 15 years with the Lions Club of Ararat.
He joined the club in 2004 and served as the club's president for the 2010-11 term.
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Lions Club of Ararat secretary Rosi Sanders said Mr Thornbury's contributions to the club were invaluable.
"He was just an all-round great member, and was always ready to help out the community, and youth especially," she said.
"He got our catering up running, especially with our Saturday morning barbeques. He was a regular there for many, many years.
"He and a few other members refurbished the kitchen area at the Scout Hall. He spent many hours doing work there.
"He received the James D Richardson honour award through the club, mainly for the work he did with our catering projects."
Mr Thornbury also served on Ararat Rural City Council between 1986-89.
He is survived by his wife, Elaine.
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