The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Victoria Branch (the Guild) is saddened to learn of the sudden passing on Sunday 23 June 2024 of much loved, and valued, Branch Committee member Bruce Robertson.
Bruce has been a member of the Guild since 1977 and joined the Victorian Branch Committee in 1987. During his time on the Branch Committee, Bruce held the positions of Alternate National Councillor, Branch Vice President, Vice President Finance, and member of Rural Committees.
In 2019, Bruce received Honorary Life Membership of the Guild, the Guild’s highest honour bestowed, in recognition of his distinguished service to his community and to rural and regional pharmacy services in Victoria. Bruce was the sole proprietor of three pharmacies in Wangaratta, North-Eastern Victoria and had recently entered into partnership with his son Alistair at Beechworth Pharmacy.
Bruce embodied the Guild’s values of respect, integrity, compassion and community, equity and fairness and reliability. He was always on hand to provide advice and guidance to our members and staff and was never shy in providing the Guild a valuable “history lesson” when needed.
Everyone involved with the Guild has their own story to tell about Bruce. For those who have been with the Guild a long time the stories are many and varied and make us laugh and cry. But the remarkable thing about Bruce was his ability to have such a big impact on people the moment he met them.
Victorian Branch President Anthony Tassone said:
“Bruce was a dear friend and mentor to many within the Guild and broader pharmacy family. He was a larger-than-life character who was generous and gave so much of himself to his community and profession.
“The Guild has faced many challenges in advocating for our profession and patients and Bruce was exactly who you wanted alongside you whenever facing adversity. He will be sorely missed, but we are so grateful to have had the honour to serve alongside him.”
Our thoughts are with Bruce’s partner Kristine and son Alistair, who Bruce adored and was immensely proud of.
While it is with much sadness that we bid farewell to our dear friend and colleague, it is through joy, and tears from laughter, that we remember the wonderful man Bruce Robertson and the contribution he made to his beloved profession.