Hari Baumanis

Hari was born into a strict Latvian family in a displaced persons camp in
Germany, during the aftermath of the Second World War. He emigrated to
Australia in 1951 where he grew up on a strawberry farm in Manly West. His
family only just scraped by and he never had any of the luxuries most children
take for granted. He was taught the importance of hard work from an early age
and he eagerly worked three jobs to get ahead in life.
It worked and he got a taste of luxury for a few years until it all came crashing
down around him. Over the years, he was betrayed many times by both family
and people he considered close friends, but he was also supported by the love
and generosity of truly great friends. His life was a rollercoaster of ups and
downs. He enjoyed the good times while they lasted and made the most of the
bad times, never giving up, and always willing to give whatever he could to
help others. Generous and trusting to a fault, never holding a grudge, he had
great resilience. He was accepting of his fate, often saying ‘we each have our
burdens to bear’, though his was particularly heavy. Leonardo Da Vinci, who he greatly admired, once said “I love those who can
smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by
reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is
firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their
principles unto death”. That sums Hari up perfectly. He had a brilliant mind and loved nothing more than a challenge. He was
always a man with big ideas, big dreams and an even bigger heart. He truly
cared for people and all of life’s creatures, and it showed through in the way he
lived his life.
He loved his family more than anything else in the world and would do
anything to help any of us. He had the pleasure of marrying and sharing his
adventures with his best friend as well as the love of his life. He had 2 children
he adored who gave him 4 grandchildren who became the apples of his eye. He
wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for us.
Hari had a hard life, but he lived it to it’s fullest. He never let adversity get in
his way. The way he lived his life should be an inspiration to us all. He was
loved by everyone he met and our lives are all the better for having had him in
them. We just wish we could have had him a little longer.