RAE – John Graham OAM
Born Monday September 17, 1945. Passed away Sunday August 02, 2026.
Dearly loved husband of Elaine.
Much loved father, stepfather, and father-in-law of Peter & Catherine,
Christopher & Alison, and Justin & Kyla.
Adored grandfather of Joshua, Aaron, Alex, Nic, Penny, Anna & Isaac.
A cherished member of the Portarlington community
who will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Funeral notice
Family and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service for Mr John Rae, to be held at Portarlington Recreation Reserve, 4-22 Sproat Street Portarlington on WEDNESDAY (August 12, 2026) commencing at 11.00am.
Private Cremation.
To view John's service please see link below: (link not available as yet)
View livestream
Tributes
Thankyou John for all you made happen in our town. A safe harbour, daily ferry service, supermarket, service station, and Christmas gifts for those in need of a little extra. And of course, your ongoing support for community projects such as the Community Building Initiative and the biggest afternoon tea. And your unwavering support for small, local businesses through the Portarlington Business Development Association. Rest easy. John and Elizabeth Turner
August 12, 2026 10:29 am
Dear Elaine, Justin, Kyla, Isaac and all the Rae family, Our deepest condolences at this sad time. John was the reason we first came to Portarlington! We are so lucky to have had John and Elaine our dear friends for almost 30 years. Your love and support, not to mention being our wonderful neighbours for the last 8 years had been such a blessing in our lives. John's contribution and love of Portarlington has been so impressive and inspiring to watch.
Thanks for all the lovely memories xx Scott and Joanne MarriottAugust 11, 2026 6:41 pm
Dear Lainey,
I was so privileged to have worked alongside John on the PBDA. His dedication, generosity and passion for helping others were always at the heart of everything he did. He genuinely cared about people and was always willing to lend a hand, offer support or simply be there when you needed him.Over those years, you & John became our dear friends, and that friendship continued long after our time working together. We still talk with such fondness about the wonderful memories we shared — the dinner parties, the movie days the boys had, and so many good times and laughs along the way.
John was a true champion for Portarlington and someone who gave so much of himself to the community he loved. He was a true gentleman — kind, generous, and always there for others.
Lainey, our heart goes out to you and the family at this difficult time. John leaves behind so many wonderful memories and touched the lives of so many people. He will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.
Rest peacefully, John. It was a privilege to know you and call you a friend.
August 10, 2026 12:09 pm
Dearest Laine,
Our hearts are with you and your family at this time.
We fondly remember John from not only our trip through Europe together, but the two decades of amazing memories together that followed it.
He was a pillar of his community. A great advocate for everything Portarlington, its people, and its vision for the future.
We will never forget his welcoming embrace, his advice & enduring support for our wellbeing, his captivating & unnecessarily detailed stories, and all the visits we've shared to each other's homes where every time we picked up like we'd never been apart.
His (and your) love for us and our kids like we were his own has touched our hearts, and we hold close forever.
We will miss hom dearly...
With all our love at this sad time,
The "Clarkies"
Adam, Julie, Samantha & JustinAugust 09, 2026 8:21 pm
Dear Lainey,
Our thoughts are with you and all of your family at this very sad time.
Lainey, we fondly remember our times with you and John, travelling through Europe; exploring Victoria's magnificent coastline; and when you visited us in Wollongong.
We also remember John's infectious dry humour, his enormous strength of character, his visions for the future of his community and his warm friendship.
He shared with us so many of his plans to improve the life-style of his family and his community.
John will be sadly missed.
Our thoughts, love and prayers are with you Lainey.
Graeme & Wendy Akhurst
Keiraville NSWAugust 08, 2026 10:19 am
A huge loss to family, friends and the community.
John’s contributions to Portarlington through his commitment to people and improvements to the ‘jewel in the crown’ through his leadership and generosity to numerous projects, causes and people will continue to reverberate for years to come.
Sadly missed.August 07, 2026 2:37 am
One of life’s true gentlemen.
A man who always made time for people, regardless of their age or stage in life. He had a genuine interest, a kind heart, a generous spirit, and an unwavering commitment to his community.
His warmth, humility and leadership will not be forgotten. He will be deeply missed. Our sincere condolences to Lainey, Kyla, Justin, Isaac and all his family. It really was a privilege knowing him 🫶🏻
August 06, 2026 3:44 pm
Have known John for many years…..around 30 I guess
He was a beautiful person who did his taxes diligently ( I was his tax accountant) and smiled all the time
Tax always took a back seat as we spoke about family and travel….more travel really
He was just a delight to deal with
He and Elaine always lit up my office with their experiences
See you when I get there mate
RobertAugust 06, 2026 7:24 am
Great community service memories John.
Many thanks for your PBDA leadership and other ventures like the Ferry, the harbour and many others
Your ability to connect has been first class and as such most memorable.
Lainey., those journeys are a credit to your back room support of John and more so during the recent months and years.
A sad loss and may his spirit live on.
Vale Johnny boy.August 05, 2026 7:33 pm
We were fortunate enough to work with John during the relaunch of the Portarlington Grand Hotel over a number of years. Our memories are of a remarkable and gentle man who was a beacon for the region.
Our thoughts are with Lani and the family.August 05, 2026 2:31 pm
Dear Lainey, so very sorry to hear of John’s passing .We shared so many good times together, beautiful memories.
Thinking of you and all the family at this sad time.August 05, 2026 1:30 pm
To Lani and families. Our deepest sympathy to you all. John will be sadly missed in our community. He was a great ambassador for Portarlington and someone I called my friend.
David and Shauna Gray.
August 04, 2026 6:52 pm
John was an icon in Portarlington. He was warm, incredibly generous and a great community and business leader. His achievements are numerous. He leaves a wonderful legacy. He is sadly missed.
August 04, 2026 5:26 pm