When Wal Fife was just two years old, he and his mother Myrtle took a joyflight with Charles Kingsford Smith in his famous aircraft, the Southern Cross.
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This anecdote was shared by Member for Wagga Daryl Maguire as he paid tribute to Mr Fife, who died in Canberra on Thursday at the age of 88.
Mr Fife had served the Wagga region in both state and federal parliaments and as a minister at both levels of government in a political career of almost 40 years.
Just hours before he died, Mr Fife had been told that he was to be made a life member of the Liberal Party in recognition of his service.
Mr Maguire told Parliament that he had spoken to Mr Fife on Wednesday evening to give him the news of the life membership.
“I spoke to him at 9.30 last night to convey to him the message that he had been given life membership. We chatted for three minutes, and he said he was grateful for this recognition,” Mr Maguire told State Parliament in a tribute to the former state and federal MP on Thursday.
Mr Maguire told The Daily Advertiser that Mr Fife had been much-loved, well-regarded and well-respected.
Mr Fife was a “true gentleman” who had always retained his interest in politics.
“He was always available for good counsel,” Mr Maguire said.
“And he was always able to read the political tea leaves.”
Mr Fife’s great legacy was the creation of a ‘dynamic’ Charles Sturt University, former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer said.
Mr Fischer, the former Member for Farrer, said Mr Fife had “masterminded” the establishment of CSU.
He said Mr Fife had worked closely with Dr Cliff Blake, the-then vice-chancellor of the Riverina-Murray Institute of Higher Education, to bring the multi-campus university into existence.
The Fife family were understandably proud of this achievement, he said.
In his address to Parliament, Mr Maguire said Mr Fife would have marked 70 years as a member of the Liberal Party in January 2018 and December 14 will mark 60 years since he won the seat of Wagga.
Joe Schipp, who succeeded Mr Fife as the Member for Wagga, said his long-time friend had retained his interest not only in politics, but also in his home town.
Mr Schipp sent twice-weekly collections of clippings from The Daily Advertiser to Mr Fife, who would then call to discuss current events.
Former editor of The Daily Advertiser Graham Gorrel has many fond memories of Mr Fife.
“My family has had a long association with the Fife family. My aunty, Dorothy Nest, was on the Liberal pre-selection committee that endorsed Wal for his second tilt in 1956 against Eddie Graham, the incumbent Labor MP, and again at the by-election caused by Eddie’s death in 1957 when Wal won,” Mr Gorrel said.
“Unlike today’s politicians, Wal could appreciate problems that might affect communities, no more so than when he was appointed Minister for Mines in the Askin Government.
“He so effectively dealt with miners concerns that on one occasion he and Marcia were invited to a miners re-union in the Hunter region at which the miners presented them with a painting of the miners memorial; one official saying ‘Wal, you are the only Tory who has ever set foot here’.”
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said Mr Fife “set the standard” as far as MPs were concerned, describing his 36 years of parliamentary service as “truly remarkable”.
“The number of portfolios he filled demonstrates the remarkable depth of his knowledge,” Mr McCormack said.
“He was an MP who was across the national interests, but also one who represented region. He served with distinction and style.”
Mr Fife was born on October 2, 1929, to Clyde and Myrtle Fife and was a younger brother to Harold.
He was educated in Wagga and Canberra and had a keen interest in politics that dated back to childhood. He one wrote to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and received back a reply.
Mr Fife married Marcia Hargreaves Stanley on May 31, 1952.
The couple had four children – David, Allan, Carolyn and Sue. They went on to become grandparents of 10 and great grandparents of nine.
A funeral service for Mr Fife is expected to be held in Wagga next week.
