Hundreds gather to farewell real estate leader

Hundreds of mourners have farewelled one of the doyens of Geelong’s real estate industry.
Family, friends, colleagues and RSL representatives gathered at central Geelong’s Church of Christ on Wednesday to farewell Newtown’s Syd Thomson.
Mourners heard it was the same church where Mr Thomson was christened and married.
Mr Thomson died peacefully at Newcomb’s Amity Nursing Home on August 6. He was 85.
After serving in World War II as an RAAF tail gunner, Mr Thomson bought the real estate office of CJ Keane and Co in the 1950s. He built the company to a network of nine offices during half a century at the helm.
His family believes CJ Keane remains Victoria’s largest independent, family-owned real estate company.
Mr Thomson was also a founder and inaugural chairman of the Independent.
Libby Thomson remembered her father as a tireless worker who never missed an opportunity for his company.
“He was just totally dedicated to his business,” she said.
“Even in respite care he was still looking for listings and managed to list one. He just never stopped.”
Ms Thomson said her father was an innovator in Geelong’s real estate industry.
“He introduced computers before anyone else was even thinking about it. He was on the cutting edge of all new innovations in the industry.”
Mr Thomson is survived by wife Norma, their children Libby, Laurie, Mandy and Janette, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.