An avid golfer and keen photographer, Eddie Kerfoot was well known throughout the Launceston community. He worked at The Examiner for about 35 years and mentored a generation of news photographers along the way.
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Last week at the age of 93 he died after complications from a surgery. He had suffered a series of mini strokes last year which took away his independence.
Eddie's daughter Sandra Bingley remembered her father as a loving and supportive man who always had her, and her siblings backs.
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She said while his passing was a sad occasion, it was also a release for the family.
"Dad was a hard worker, he often said that he regretted working so much ... he regretted not spending more time at home with us as kids, but he was a good dad," Ms Bingley said.
"[His passing] is kind of a release for us ... I think he will be more peaceful now."
Ms Bingley remembered spending time with the family at their shack at Greens Beach. She said they spent numerous summers playing cricket, riding in the trailer and enjoying the beach.
In 2001 Eddie and his wife Margaret sold the shack and decided to travel overseas. They went to visit family in the United Kingdom before travelling around Europe.
About seven years later Margaret died, leaving Eddie living by himself. Ms Bingley said she was proud of how her father had adapted to his new life.
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"I was so proud of the way he taught himself to cook and look after himself," she said.
"He would even entertain his mates for Friday footy night. Dessert was his forte."
Eddie lived in that family home until July this year when he was moved into Masonic Care. Ms Bingley said it was nice to think about the lasting legacy Eddie's work would have throughout the community.
"I reckon there would be a lot of people out there who could tell some stories," she said.
"He was very likeable and very good at his job. You run into people who play football and [they'll say] 'oh yeah I remember Eddie,' or the chemist will say 'I remember Eddie'."
The Examiner photographer Paul Scambler worked under Eddie when he was chief photographer.
He praised Eddie's ability to turn any job into a page one photo.
"I learnt a lot from Eddie [and] classed him as my mentor. He made people feel comfortable, and that showed in his photos," Scambler said.
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"He taught me how to view things in black and white, how to see the photo, and how to improve it.
"I hope his teachings reflect in my news photography and professionalism."
Allison Andrews, a former senior reporter and chief of staff at The Examiner, also remembered working with Eddie fondly.
Ms Andrews was a cadet journalist when she first worked with Eddie who was chief photographer at the time. She had actually met the Kerfoot family before coming to work with Eddie, as she practised ballet with one of his daughters.
Ms Andrews said Eddie was an amazing person to learn off and a terrific mentor for anyone wanting to learn the entire scope of the newspaper business.
"I regarded myself as learning to be a journalist. A journalist was a person who was a reporter and knew about photographs and the photography side of the business," she said.
"Eddie was a fantastic mentor for anybody who wanted to know about news photography because he was very good at it."
Ms Andrews said working with Eddie was always a collaborative exercise.
"We worked as a team. I spent a long time working with Eddie that was how we operated. If you went out on a job with a photographer, who was of that ilk, you worked as a team," she said.
"So we worked as a team and we had each others back."
She remembered one particular occasion when they were sent to cover the Roulettes. The RAAF's crack aerobatics team had come to Launceston Airport and so off Eddie and Ms Andrews went to cover the story.
"Eddie and I being who we were, Eddie in particular and me following his news nose, said well if we are going to do a story about you, will you take us up?," she said.
"They finally agreed, but take us up meant I went up and Eddie waited on the ground. He got a picture of me getting out of the plane after I had been up ... looking a bit shaky.
"I have still got the photo and it makes me giggle every time I see it really because it was Eddie. He knew what a good news story and a good news pic was."
Ms Andrews said Eddie's death marked the end of an era. "He ran a really tight ship as chief photographer and he trained a generation of photographers in news media work," she said.
"I was also really sad personally [to here he died]."
After his 35 years of service at The Examiner Eddie became heavily involved in the Launceston Golf Club and in particular the veterans golf group. He had also served in the Navy before becoming a news photographer.
Launceston Golf Club historian Kerry Holloway, who will be the celebrant at Eddie's funeral, said he was an extraordinarily honourable man who carried himself with the highest level of integrity and professionalism.
"His word was his bond, his word was his handshake," he said.
He said Eddie was well respect throughout the community, through his time at The Examiner and after.
A funeral service for Eddie will be held at Franklin Grove at 2.30pm on December 3.
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