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Wednesday June 29, 2016
OBITUARY
Mountains farewell Ivo Deubler (1939 – 2016)
Ivo and Hanna outside “Ivo’s Farm Lodge.
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It was a shoulder to shoulder celebration of Ivo Deubler’s life at Jindabyne’s Banjo Paterson Inn on Saturday June 25 when close on 200 from near and wide, gathered to pay tribute to his memory. Following a summary of Ivo’s life by Ben Clancy, Ivo’s daughter Holly fondly described her dad as a larrikin, honest, brave and generous. Amongst the other speakers, Ted Gregorski from Bernti’s added that Ivo had an eye for the ladies and he related the story of one of Ivo’s encounters where the female first laid her head on his shoulder, winked at him and he thought he was on to a winner – it was Makybe Diva! Austrian born Ivo Deubler was one of the many Europeans, who added colour to the snowfields and emerging ski industry and made his home in the Snowy Mountains. Coming to Australia “to see the world” from his home town, Salzburg he arrived in Melbour ne by plane as a sponsored immigrant in 1961 and soon joined his sister already living in Cooma. He quickly found work as a carpenter for Architon Construction, which was building the Khancoban shopping centre. On an exploratory hitchhiking trip to Perisher and Thredbo where he stayed overnight at Leo’s Lodge (now The Denman), his skills were quickly engaged each weekend to finish the lodge extensions before the 1961 ski season. During the ski season he assisted at times on the volunteer Ski Patrol, and he became a member of the NSW ski team, placing second in the National Slalom on 215 cm skis at Cabramurra. Thus demonstrating his ability on skis, in 1962 Ivo joined the 16 ski instructors in Leonhard Erharter’s Thredbo Ski School. Having bought the garbage truck and contract at the
end of 1961 ski season, Ivo could complete the early morning garbage collection before ski school briefings. Each weekend, for about 27 years he ran a taxi service ferrying people between the ski resorts and Cooma airport, sometimes Canberra. Ivo did not shy away from hard work, and during summers he left a legacy of stonework using local material on many of the lodges in the growing Village and later years at the Ski Tube, Blue Cow and Lake Crackenback Resort. In 1972 Upper Murray white water rafting experiences down to Khancoban became Ivo’s next business adventure which lasted for about three years. However he gave it away because it was too dangerous, consequently he spent more time fishing and pursuing an interest in horse racing Nevertheless, Ivo found time to court Hanna whom he married in 1972 and they looked after the “Golden Eagle” lodge in Thredbo. During the summer of 1978, he built his popular lodge, “Ivo’s Farm” on the Alpine Way. Their daughter, Holly arrived in 1984. Hannah ran the lodge until they sold it in 2014 and moved into Jindabyne township. Rock walls were Ivo’s art . Unfortunately about 10 years ago he damaged his ankle whilst stepping out of his truck. The injury resulted in a debilitating bone disease which eventually became too much for him to bear. He chose his own boulder and ending. The stonewalls created by Ivo are a lasting memorial to him – a legend of the mountains. The Monaro Post wishes to express its condolences to his wife, Hanna and daughter, Holly. Pictured: Ivo Deubler (Photos: Helen Swinbourne)