Peter Bowman came from Gordon House to live at Wintringham's Williamstown Hostel in 1993; that is, as one of its very first residents when the hostel opened. He was young to have been accepted into aged care, but such were his circumstances that special arrangements were made and Williamstown became his home for the rest of his life. He enjoyed a long period of stability, good health and proper care.

He died in February 2015. 

Peter was a solitary man, highly protective of his personal space and circumspect in his habits. He liked to drink and he liked to smoke. He was fond of cartoons and of jokes. When he found a story in the paper that tickled his fancy - often it was The Age Odd Spot - he'd show it to his mates in the hostel, laughing like a drain. They all ended up laughing too, often because Peter's delight in it was more funny than the story itself!

He came from North Melbourne but, other than that, we knew very little about him. He told one very kind person who had known him from the Gordon House days that he had once had a wife and children. "They are better off without me," was all he said.

An unremarkable life you might think. But many staff and residents came to his funeral service and most shed tears.

Peter had been a quiet and unassuming part of the hostel's life for so long that people had not realised how much he mattered. Habits of kindness and companionship had just automatically included Peter in every future calculation.

It was a shock to find him gone. He is deeply missed.