Chris Holman

"A eulogy to Chris"

- by his family

On behalf of our family, we would like to thank you all for coming today to celebrate the life of Chris Holman and thank each and every one of you for the part that you played in his life.

Chris was born on March 22nd, 1968. His biological parents both had mental health issues and in 1970, at 2 years old, he was placed in the Seaforth Children's Home to be cared for.

My parents saw that they needed a family to love and care for a 2-year-old boy and we had a family meeting to see if we could be that family. Mum and Dad gave us a bit of time to think about it and we all agreed to meet him. We went to meet Chris and we all wanted was to bring him home. After a few more meetings and some red tape, Chris came to live with us on the 04/04/1971, a few weeks after his 3rd birthday.

From the day he arrived, his shyness soon dissolved, and the cheeky grin appeared. He didn't take long to fit in, and he knew he'd found his forever home.

Chris was always a very loving boy, but the cheeky nature and his big grin slowly emerged. He had worked his way into our hearts, and he became a part of a huge extended family.

We fostered many children after Chris arrived, but most were returned to their families as soon as their parents could manage.

In January 1975 that all changed when our last child was gifted to us to nurture and love. That was our brother Rick. We all doted on Rick but as they grew, and we older siblings left home, Chris and Rick became best friends as well as brothers.

They did many ventures together like little athletics, BMX racing and in later years football, when they both played for Wunkar. It wasn't always all smooth sailing though with Chris using Rick's mischievousness for his own comedy. He would con him into climbing on the roof and jumping onto the trampoline below, only to move the trampoline as he jumped and then howl with laughter when he hit the deck. Thankfully nothing ever got broken. We always wondered how Rick managed to get the ladder up to the roof because of course, Chris had vanished.

Once Chris got his license, he would often take Rick and his mates for drives in his car. Often sneaking Rick out of the house. He even took them for their first drive to Maslin Beach for a perve.

BMX took them all around the state and country and they both met lifelong friends. We thank them for being here today.

Then he found girls and Fabio was born. The hair got longer, and the jeans got tighter, and his confidence grew. So did the length of time he spent in the bathroom brushing those blonde locks.

He loved his cars just as much and when he got his EA Falcon panel van, he thought he had it made. He attracted the girls and he blossomed. He got even more confident and used his cheekiness and laughter to make people happy.

Chris met his biological parents a few times and was very excited that he had family he never knew about but sadly he parted ways with them and came and asked if he could change his name by deed poll from Christopher John Jorgensen to be Chris Holman. Of course, we were so honoured and proud, but it was just a formality because he was always a part of our family.

After Chris met Kylie and they built their first home, Chris was so happy and proud, but nothing compared to the day he found out he was going to become a father. Chris loved that he would have his own blood family and when Kody was born, he fell in love. A love that never faltered and never will. He will always be looking after Kody, even now, because he could never leave him.

Chris matured as a father but cheekier and funnier. He loved life and the people in it. He loved nothing more than lending a hand to anybody in need or cheering people up. Even though he went through some heart breaks of his own, he always put others' needs and happiness first.

Our Christmas get together as a family became his place to always surprise us. He was always late and always requested my pavlova. He loved them.

When he was younger, he would dress up as Santa to hand out the presents to his nieces and nephews, but they always guessed who it was, by the size of his feet. He always made them all feel special and even had his nephew work with him and to go to town clubbing with him.

Then as he aged, he got braver. We would all be sitting after lunch and out he would run in a mankini or his nieces one piece bathing suit. One BBQ we had, he was cooking the food with his apron on, and he asked if we would like our sausages in buns. BUNS we asked? To which he turned around and showed us his bare buns...mum and all!

He was forever the practical joker, and that cheekiness and beaming smile is what we will all miss the most along with his squeezy hugs.

Chris will always be loved and always in our hearts.

Until we meet again, keep them laughing up there and know that we will all look after Kody for you.