Barry Lacey was one of those indescribably special people who leaves a mark on you. In the last few months of his life, Barry gave one last gift to those left behind – a transport bus for the aged care residents at Dhelkaya Health.
Barry and his wife, Jenny, relocated from Melbourne to Newstead in 2001, where they firmly established themselves in the community, and the garden!
Despite receiving a Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2009 (along with a variety of other health concerns), Barry continued to live life to the fullest, teaching tai-chi to the local community, running regular bonsai workshops, and as an active member of the local men’s shed that he founded.
Three days before his 75th birthday, Barry hosted a living wake. The ‘Festival of Barry’s Life’ was a memorable gathering of shared memories, tears and laughter.
The following year, as his health declined, Barry moved into Ellery House, a high-care residential aged care unit at Castlemaine’s Dhelkaya Health.
When the two hospital transport buses stopped running, Barry, who relied on the transport for regular visits to the Men’s Shed in Newstead, took action and contacted the local Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards and organised for her to attend a meeting with the aged care residents.
Ms Edwards, who met Barry 15 years earlier when he was advocating for the Men’s Shed, attended the care unit to meet with the residents and advocate for support.
Maree told the Express that the bus was Barry’s only outlet – helping him to get to Newstead for his day out.
“He was so open to helping people all the time and having that engagement with him when I was first elected, to get the Newstead Shed up and running, cemented the strength of our relationship,” she said.
“He was a passionate advocate for his community, he loved his bonsai, in fact, in the office we used to call him Bonsai Barry, he was just a wonderful human being,” she said.
His daughter, Tanya Lacey, said her last conversation with her dad on the Wednesday afternoon before he died was to say, “We got the bus,” with happy tears.
“I would just hope that the Ellery House staff have a happy memory of dad advocating for their residents,” she said.
Dhelkaya Health CEO Sue Race said everyone was deeply saddened by the passing of Barry and gave their heartfelt condolences to his family.
“Barry was a true character, known for his strong spirit and unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of others,” she said.
“His advocacy for a wheelchair-accessible bus was just one example of his dedication to improving life for those in Ellery House and the wider community. The bus stands as a testament to Barry and the collective efforts of our staff, residents and local leaders.
“The wheelchair accessible bus will soon make its debut in the community, transporting residents for social outings and appointments.”
Barry died on August 21. While he never got the chance to ride the bus, his memory and legacy continue with every journey.
