Former Member for Narracan and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly John Delzoppo was farewelled with a State funeral service at Neerim South last Tuesday.

Remembered for being friends with "both sides of the house" of Parliament, Mr Delzoppo, a member of the Liberal Party for 61 years, died on November 23 and was buried on his 93rd birthday.
Amongst the hundreds of people at St John's Co-operating Church for his funeral were former Premier Jeff Kennett, former Liberal Party leader Alan Brown and current Liberal Party leader John Pesutto. They were joined by Mr Delzoppo's Member for Narracan successors Ian Maxfield (ALP), Gary Blackwood (Liberal) and current member Wayne Farnham.
A retired pharmacist, Mr Delzoppo served as Member for Narracan for 14 years between 1982 and 1996, 20 years as a Buln Buln Shire councillor between 1966 and 1986 and served on numerous community committees.
Between 1992 and 1996 in the Jeff Kennett government, he was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr Delzoppo was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2009 for his service to the Victorian Parliament, local government and the Neerim community.
The eulogy, presented by Mr Delzoppo's son Lindsay, traced his family life, from his young days when he developed as love of fishing and staying at his great uncle's property at Nar Nar Goon where he fell in love with country life.
Mr Delzoppo enrolled in Pharmacy College in 1950 where Lindsay said he developed a great love of botanical medicines - "he really loved making medicines" and loved sharing his knowledge. At college, he also fell in love with another pharmacist who became his wife, Beth.
Lindsay said his parents were fabulous dancers and in public life they were regularly invited to officiate at deb balls because they would "put on a show."
The Delzoppos moved to Neerim South on Boxing Day 1954 and began dispensing from the front of their house at the start of 1955.
They operated the pharmacy for 30 years and being a residential pharmacy, Lindsay said there were knocks at the door at any time of the night. He said the "pharmacy gave dad great connections with local people."
Lindsay said neighbour George Addison was a key mentor to his father, giving him lots of guidance, teaching him woodwork and giving him advice about his career. George told him to get involved in a political party so he went to a recruitment meeting the next week at the hotel and joined.
Lindsay said his father "made friends on both sides of the house" and was "proudly impartial" whilst in politics.
Representing Premier Jacinta Allan, Member for Ashwood and deputy speaker Matt Fregon paid tribute to Mr Delzoppo's passion and advocacy for Gippsland.
Mr Fregon said in Mr Delzoppo's inaugural speech to Parliament it was clear he "believed deeply in our democratic institutions and had great respect for our democracy."
He said Mr Delzoppo was a passionate and forthright advocate for rural and regional Victoria and would often remind the house of the importance of agriculture to the state.
Mr Fregon said his words in Hansard made it clear "he loved his community, was passionate about Gippsland and passionate about the people who called it home."
"And through it all, these three core tenants - the belief in the power of democracy, hard work and a deep love for his community, stayed with him and took him in good stead," he said.
Mr Fregon said Mr Delzoppo had provided a constant commitment to public service.
He was Buln Buln Shire president on three occasions between 1971 and 1979, delegate to the Municipal Association of Victoria from 1979 to 1983, and was awarded Honorary Freeman of Buln Buln Shire in 1994.
As well as serving as inaugural president of the Neerim South High School council, Mr Delzoppo was life member and past president of the Neerim District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, past president of the Central Gippsland Regional Planning Authority interim committee, former commissioner of the Neerim South Waterworks Trust and Noojee Waterworks Trust, former Gippsland representative of the Latrobe Valley Water and Sewerage Board, inaugural chairman of Westernport Catchment Coordinating Group and former senior vice president of the Victorian Bush Nursing Association.
Mr Delzoppo also was Shadow Minister for Transport (1983-1984), Local Government (1984-1985), Water Resources and Property and Services (1985-1987).
Former Member for Gippsland Province, and immediate past president of the Victorian Parliamentary Former Members Association, Philip Davis said Mr Delzoppo had committed to building fellowship between former members of parliament.
Mr Delzoppo and Mr Davis served together, in the lower and upper houses respectively, as part of the Kennett government.
Mr Davis said while president of the Former Members Association, Mr Delzoppo had established a culture that ensured within six months of leaving parliament, it was difficult for anyone to distinguish their partisan connections - it is "great credit to John for creating that culture."
"He lived a life of service to his community, local government, the Liberal Party, Parliament of Victoria, the Anglican church and his former parliamentary colleagues," Mr Davis said.
Reverend Allan Huggins spoke of the family friendship between his family and the Delzoppos that developed when his family moved to Neerim South in 1969.
He spoke of Saturday night dinners watching football together at the vicarage.
Rev Huggins spoke of Mr Delzoppo's involvement with Gippsland Anglican committees and synod from 1961.
Officiating clergy included Bishop of Gippsland the Right Reverend Dr Richard Treloar, the Right Reverend Dr Jeffrey Driver, Reverend Gospel Ralte and Reverend Dr Jim Connelly.
They spoke about Mr Delzoppo's connections to the community and service to the St John's Co-operating Church at Neerim South over many years and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland.
Rev Connelly said it was fitting the funeral was held at the church where Mr Delzoppo spent much of his time and was the "foundation" of all that he achieved.
He described Mr Delzoppo as a "ruler amongst us."
Mr Delzoppo is survived by his wife Beth, four children Ian, Lindsay, Clare and Anne, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were by Nielsen Funerals. A private family burial was held at Neerim cemetery.