Bob Scarff, an icon of the city of Dubbo, died peacefully in hospital yesterday three weeks short of his 72nd birthday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bob was much loved by the community and his passing will leave an enormous void.
He had an encyclopedic knowledge of Dubbo and its people and made a huge contribution over many years as a theatre manager, journalist, city councillor, Rotarian and sportsman. He will be fondly remembered as an outstanding theatrical performer and for years of witticisms delivered through his Day by Day column in the Daily Liberal.
Robert Jarrett Scarff was born in the Sydney suburb of Waverley in July 1931, the son of Leslie and Claire Scarff. He had a close relationship with elder sister Leonie who spent most of her life in Sydney but in later years relocated to the Gulgong district.
Bob attended Waverely Public School and later Scots College where sport and music were great interests.
He was school captain in 1949, a senior chorister and rugby union five-eighth. After leaving school he played with the Randwick rugby club for six years.
Bob joined Hoyts Theatres Ltd with the idea of eventually taking over from his father who operated the Roxy and Western Monarch theatres at Dubbo.
He worked for Hoyts for seven years until 1957 when his fathered suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and was dead inside a week at only 53.
Bob came home to Dubbo, took over the theatres and on June 6 1959 married Margaret Brann, the nurse who had cared for his father during his last week of life.
Tragically Margaret died four years later. Bob was devastated but had to keep on going for their 14-month-old daughter Elizabeth.
Bob continued in picture theatres until 1970 when he lost court action against a drive-in cinema. He sold his theatres and was set to work in insurance. Those plans were put on hold by surgery at Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney when a malformed kidney was discovered.
Twelve months later Bob had a near fatal car crash near Yeoval, fractured his skull and shattered his right forearm and wrist.
He was out of action for nearly a year before joining the staff of the Daily Liberal as a reporter.
He went on to enjoy a 24-year career in journalism and developed a passion for horse racing. He was also passionate about skiing after being introduced to the sport by Dr Warwick Adams. Live theatre was another great interest along with fine wine, opera, history and movies.
Bob loved to sing and in his younger years attended lessons at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Raymond Beatty who had been one of Australia's leading bass baritones during the 1930s.
On returning from Sydney to live in Dubbo Bob became a leading performer with the Dubbo Amateur Theatrical Society and Bull and Bush Company
Bob's daughter was always the dominant part of his private life. She graduated through Dubbo South High School and went on to Royal North Shore Hospital to train as a nurse. She later worked with handicapped children at The Sunshine Home before travelling to England in 1986. She has continued to live in England and is now Mrs Elizabeth Bentley.
Although a long way away Bob and Elizabeth have always been close and he was a very proud grandfather.
Bob retired from the Daily Liberal in August 1998, moved into a unit at Orana Gardens and enjoyed life at a more leisurely pace.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be decided.