Town pays tribute to gentleman councillor

Tributes have flowed and glasses raised to honour the passing of local personality and former Port Hedland councillor, Shane Sear.

The former K & S Bobcat Hire owner and operator arrived in town in 1992 and became a councillor from 2005 to 2007, taking the reins as president of the Wedgefield Association while volunteering his services for numerous clubs and organisations.

Partner Kerry O’Callaghan said Shane, 58, and their daughters, Ashleigh, 22, and Krysten, 19, had made a life in the town before moving to Geraldton and later Perth.

“We loved Port Hedland, we both went there in 1992 and started our business there, we had our family there, our girls went to school and Shane was very committed to the town,” she said.

“Shane still maintained the business in Port Hedland until late 2012, commuting between towns; it’s where we established ourselves and we still call ourselves an old Hedland family. It’s basically in our blood.

“He passed away on Tuesday night (November 28) at home; he had been fighting liver cancer since the middle of August. He just got up and sat out on the patio. I was sitting out there with him and he went to sleep in his chair.

“At this stage there will be a cremation and I’d like to take him home to the North West.”

Port Hedland Deputy Mayor Louise Newbery said she remembered Mr Sear as a gentleman.

“Shane would be well known in this town by everyone as he had the most outstanding bobcat business that Hedland’s ever seen,” she said.

“He was a gentleman to work with and never ripped anyone off; an outstanding, lovely man.

“He inspired me about how council works, we had many discussions about governance and procedures of council.

“Because I dealt with Shane a lot before I led into council, it was one of the reasons why I went to council actually.”