Well-loved Woonona man Steve Gee has been remembered as a journalist “heart and soul” by his workmates and family – and as a genuine, gentle, old-school surfer by his board riding mates.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gee was 45 when he died suddenly at home on Monday, still in his wetsuit after surfing what what turned out to be his final wave.
A surfboard-shaped memorial stands at the north end of Woonona Beach, erected by local boardriders in tribute to their friend, who frequented the waves from Woonona to Sandon Point, and the Peggys break in between.
Woonona boardriders president Jeremy Barnett said Gee was a real gentleman.
“He was a happy go lucky, gentle, quite person,” he said.
“He loved being in the water; he loved life.”
A glowing tribute piece to Gee published by his former employer, Channel Nine, quotes his wife Janet saying her husband was “heart and soul a journalist”.
After growing up on Sydney’s northern beaches, Gee started his career as a journalist as a copyboy on Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. He loved news writing and over his career would cover some of the biggest stories, including the backpacker murders, the death of Caroline Byrne, and the Cronulla riots.
He also covered the death of Brett Whitely, and along with former Mercury photo editor Kirk Gilmour was the first media on the scene where the artist died in room 4 of the Thirroul Beach Motel, when both Gee and Gilmour worked for the Telegraph’s Wollongong bureau in 1992.
He also loved his sport, in particular the Many Sea Eagles, and after 20 years reporting news he became a sports writer in 2009. After leaving News Corp he did some freelance work and joined Nine’s Wide World of Sports in 2014.
“If it was surfing or NRL, Stevie Gee was not only already across it, but also armed with a poetic turn of phrase, a wry joke and a wealth of context,” the tribute piece reads.
“He could pump out a yarn on a dime, indulging in a little gallows humour or reliving a favourite South Park moment all the while.”
One of the Woonona boardriders, Steve Davis, said Gee’s death came as a “huge shock” to all. He said Monday came after a fantastic weekend of surf, and Gee had made the most of it.
“He was a really good surfer,” Mr Davis said.
“We’d sit out the back and solve the world’s problems – he’d talk about what he did; I’d talk about what I did.”
He fondly remembered how Gee would always ride old boards that were longer than a surfer of his ability needed. Even when offered a shorter board more tailored to his size, Steve’s reply was “maybe one day”.
Steve Gee is survived by his wife Janet, and son Josh, who is 12.
