The family of Wollongong councillor Vicky King will make her funeral open to the public, to celebrate her life as a campaigner for women and tireless community advocate.
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The grandmother, mum of six, accountant and long-serving councillor died on Tuesday night, suffering a sudden heart attack after a community meeting in Berkeley.
Cr King's youngest daughter, Matika Habazin, said her family wanted to thank the many people who had expressed sadness, well wishes and support since Cr King's death.
"We're still in a state of shock but we're definitely feeling the love," she said.
Since Cr King's death was announced, people have been leaving flowers outside Bosco Accounting in Dapto, where she worked, and the council, Labor politicians and other councillors have paid tribute to a woman who "served until the end".
The funeral will be held on March 5 at 11am at St Luke's Anglican Church in Brownsville, and attendees are asked to eschew black in favour of bright colours or leopard print.
Instead of flower tributes, Cr King's family has asked for donations to be made to Her Heart - an Australian organisation dedicated to preventing heart disease in women - and SAHSSI women's housing service.
"I guess we've realised over the past couple of days that women's heart disease can have quite different symptoms to those that occur in men, so we wanted to help raise awareness of that," Ms Habazin said.
"And we chose SAHSSI because it helps women with and without children affected by homelessness or domestic violence. Originally Mum was on the management committee for Warilla Women's Refuge [which later became SAHSSI when it joined with Wollongong]."
Donations should be marked 'on behalf of Vicky King" so the money can be spent within the Illawarra.
Councillors will pay tribute to their colleague through a condolence motion at the next council meeting. However, with a local government election in September, they are unlikely to replace her position. Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said it would be costly and unnecessary to hold a byelection this close to the election.
Under the Local Government Act, council seats may be left vacant if a casual vacancy occurs within 18 months of the next ordinary election.
Cr King's death will leave Labor with five out of 12 representatives. The rest of the council is made up of three Liberals, two Greens and two independents.
With this make up, Wollongong councillors are rarely split in a narrow vote. But, if a 6-6 deadlock was to occur over the next seven months, Cr Bradbery would be allowed to cast a deciding vote.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
