"A gentle soul" who was a protector and mentor for Launceston's homeless community was farewelled as a community leader after he suddenly died suffering a medical condition in the CBD.
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Christopher Milne died on June 27 in St John Street after suffering a medical condition. His death was not suspicious.
Mr Milne was homeless in Launceston, but had planned to return to Queensland with his mother in the weeks before his death.
On Wednesday, a memorial service remembered the life of the "King of Civic Square", whose soul burned brightly for all who had the privilege to meet him.
City of Launceston regulations team leader Peter Denholm spoke about the impact Mr Milne had on him.
"Chris was one of the first people I met who I knew was sleeping rough. But he should be known as a community leader," he said.
"[Chris] managed to break down barriers that not even I knew existed and taught me to see past the person who is sleeping rough."
Mr Denholm recalled the official opening of Macquarie House, which former Prime Minister Scott Morrison opened.
He said he'd been notified late that the PM was going to be in town, and the PM's security detail had identified Chris, who'd been sleeping in the square, as "a person of concern".
"I went to speak to Chris, and I told him that we were having an important event tomorrow and there was going to be a special guest, a very important guest," Mr Denholm said.
"But Chris, he just sat there and said he knew the PM was coming, he'd seen the feds scoping out Civic Square for the previous 12 hours. He assured me nothing would happen."
Fast-forward to the next day and, sure as his word, nothing happened at the event, but Mr Denholm recalled as clear as day an image of seeing Chris, "the King of Civic Square," sitting proudly on one of the benches with a cup of coffee "watching the circus".
Launceston Baptist Church "street chaplain" Stephen Avery recalled Mr Milne as a character with an "IQ that could rival Einstein" and a person who had lived in multiple states and connected to important people such as politicians in Canberra.
His mother, Margaret Milne, recalled to Mr Avery that after his death, she received a phone call from the former chief of staff to the PM in tears because he'd known Chris from decades past.
"But he never lorded it over anyone...Chris had no barriers or held no judgement against anyone," he said.
"Chris had his moments, we all do, but those moments aside, he remained his receptive and gentle nature."
"Chris was Chris."
Mr Avery recounted Mr Milne's life through the lens of a conversation he had with Mrs Milne before the memorial.
Mr Milne was born in Papua New Guinea, and at age 1, his parents moved to Australia.
He was an intelligent and curious boy, whose intelligence meant he often had in-depth, philosophical conversations with people usually older than himself.
"When Chris was on the streets of Launceston he did not look down on people or lord over them, despite his intelligence or his connections, he humbled himself," Mr Avery said.
The service was punctuated by a rendition of It's a Wonderful World, a favourite song of Mr Milne's.
Shekinah House president Louise Cowan read some psalms as part of the memorial and prefaced her reading by saying she was "honoured" to have known Mr Milne.
"It was an honour and a blessing [to have known Chris]. I am so blessed to know such a gentle soul," Ms Cowan said.
"I saw him as a person who never asked for anything, he lived the best life he could with what he had."
Bass MP Lara Alexander also read out Bible readings at the memorial. She was accompanied at the service by Housing Minister Guy Barnett.
Ms Alexander, a former chief executive of St Vincent de Paul, a service provider that works in the homelessness space, said she had met Mr Milne a few times.
When her mother died at the age of 41, she recalled a story that a loved one told her to help her cope with the loss.
"They told me that some people are here, and they have a job to do, and that job is to touch as many people as possible," Ms Alexander said.
"And when they do that, they just leave. And I think that's what's happened with Chris."
The service was also attended by City of Launceston acting mayor Danny Gibson and Mr Milne's mother, Margaret Milne.
His son survives Mr Milne. His mother and other family live in Queensland.
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