ROB ALISON, 1919-2013
Business success: Clive, Rob, Ian and Isla Allison. In 1995, Rob was appointed a member of the Order of Australia. Photo: Meredith O'Shea
The funeral of Sir Robert Menzies in 1978 was a moment that stood out in Rob Allison's life. Allison's firm, John Allison/Monkhouse, was assigned by the prime minister's office to arrange the event - and had only four days to do it.
It was a mammoth task but was considered such a model of excellence that it became the industry standard for future state funerals. The firm, now Allison Monkhouse, went on to manage the state funerals of Sir Billy Snedden, Lord Casey, Sir Arthur Rylah and senator Don Chipp, among others.
Later, as Australia's national funeral director in Belgium and France, he co-ordinated the exhumation and return of the remains of the Unknown Australian Soldier from France to be buried at the Australian War Memorial on November 11, 1993.
Allison also served the Australian Funeral Directors Association for more than 50 years as an executive committee man, state and federal councillor, president and federal life councillor.
In 1995, he was appointed a member of the Order of Australia but, when asked a few years ago how he wanted to be remembered, he simply said: ''I just want people to think I made a contribution.''
Robert Crichton Allison was born on April 4, 1919, son of Robert Allison, a tailor who had died in the influenza epidemic 10 weeks earlier, and his wife, Ruby (nee Crichton), a dancing teacher.
The death of her maternal grandmother brought Ruby back to the funeral director who had buried Robert snr - coincidentally a man with the same surname.
Roy Allison came from a line of undertakers stretching back to London in 1807 when Thomas Allison established a cabinet-making, upholstering and undertaking business.
His son John later set up business in Richmond in Melbourne and his grandson Roy continued it. Eventually Roy asked Rob for his mother's hand in marriage.
Rob attended Ivanhoe Grammar School and, after intermediate, he started in the family business.
On September 3, 1939, Allison was attending a Funeral Directors Association conference in Sydney. That day, World War II was declared and he met Vera Andrews, a nurse and the daughter of James and Lilian Andrews, prominent Sydney funeral directors.
They became engaged in 1941, even though Allison had volunteered for active service, assigned to the 4th Field Regiment. Given weekend leave in 1942, he phoned to ask: ''What are you doing on Saturday?'' Vera had roughly 48 hours to organise the wedding, even to find a best man. They were married at St Mark's church, Darling Point, uniting two people, two families and later two funeral firms.
After the war, Allison was keen to expand the business. Although Roy was cautious, they acquired Joseph Monkhouse and Son in 1956, which became John Allison/Monkhouse in 1974.
There were many elements to Allison's success: his attention to detail, his clear mind, organisational skills and punctuality, which for him was the 11th commandment.
While John Allison/Monkhouse prospered, many of Allison's ideas benefited the industry. He lobbied for greater access to cremation facilities and was integral to the establishment in 1965 of the first crematorium in Canberra, Norwood Park Crematorium, of which he remained a director for 40 years.
He pushed for more embalming facilities and education for embalmers. He appointed the first woman to a managerial position in the firm in the early 1980s.
Legacy was one of Allison's interests outside the industry. After joining Melbourne Legacy in 1950, he was appointed to senior roles and was chairman of the co-ordinating council for three years.
Allison was involved in Rotary, Probus, golf, tennis, his church in Kew and his many friends.
Allison retired at 78 and his son Clive is now the fifth generation in the family business.
He is survived by children Clive and Marian. Vera died in 2006.
Susan Hudson with Marian Kendall
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