The four Picchi brothers, Vittorio, Antonio, Pietro and Arduino and their father Amerigo, migrated to Australia during the 1920s and 30s from the village of Lucignani, near Luca in Tuscany. They brought with them to Australia a gracious artisan culture, which has helped enrich our country in its own small way. And like so many of our Italian migrants, they worked hard and became successful.

As a young man in Italy, Peter undertook military service in the Alpineri and he must have been a striking figure in his uniform. Peter migrated to Australia at the age of 23 in 1939 shortly after marrying Melva Lucignani in Italy. Melva waited behind in Italy for Peter to establish himself in Australia, as often happened in those days.

However, the Second World War intervened and Peter and Melva were not reunited until 1948 when Melva finally arrived in Australia. In 1951, Peter and Melva had a daughter, Mara, and then sadly Melva died when Mara was about 6 years old. If that was not enough for Peter to bear, Mara then died at the age of 10. It is a great testimony to Peter's character and the good life that he led that he survived this twin loss with all the dignity, grace and determination that we remember him for. He was a true gentleman.

When Melva died, Peter and little Mara boarded with Melva's sister Lilliana for many years and he became a close member of her family, becoming an involved uncle to her children and, in turn, her grandchildren - to the point that Peter gave Freda and Manola away on their respective wedding days.

Peter eventually moved to the Picchi house in Studley Park Road, Kew, and lived there with his brother Vittorio and Mr. Mei. Later his brother Antonio would also live there. It was Peter who looked after both Vittoro and Antonio in their later years, devoting himself to them as he similarly devoted himself to his work at Mei & Picchi as a modeler making mannequins for the fashion industry in Melbourne. One can only imagine now the ideal employee Peter would have been industrious and fastidious, with an inherent artistic skill - a gift from his native Tuscany.

Peter would have turned 87 on 28 June 2003. He had a long life and a good life. He has been a loyal and good friend to many individuals and families who are represented here today; he has been a loving uncle to Melva, Freda and Minola and an important member of Lilliana's family. It can be said of him with confidence that he leaves the world a better place for his presence in it and even on his passing, many will know that he planned in his will for his estate to do good work through the Picchi Brothers Foundation Inc., an organization which he set up with his brother Antonio, for the noble cause of fighting cancer and asthma.