THE tragic passing of a WA farming icon has been met with an outpouring of support from the State's agricultural community, with those who knew and loved Trevor Badger touched by the tributes.
Trevor passed away on Saturday, May 212, after his ultralight aircraft crashed into a paddock on the family farm near Pingrup.
He had taken the plane for one last flight before it was sold, with the crash cutting short a life which was dedicated to family, friends, the community and farming.
While still coming to terms with the tragic events that unfolded on her property, Deborah Badger still had the courage and strength to reflect on her husband's life for Farm Weekly.
Ms Badger said Trevor was passionate about family and friends.
She said his ability to have a conversation with anybody and everybody was outstanding.
"He was a loyal friend and kept in touch with longstanding friends," Ms Badger said.
She said Trevor had an adventurous spirit to push to the extremes.
"He loved skiing, boating, the Abrolhos Islands, travel, flying, he loved to entertain, had an infectious laugh and a passion to learn and innovate to find a solution to find a way out of a problem," she said.
Ms Badger said Trevor was intelligent and had a wide general knowledge, and that he loved good quality food and wine - no matter the price.
"He was certainly larger than life and I'll miss him so much," Ms Badger said.
"I cannot imagine how I will move forward from this point on but with the love and support around me - I'll get there," she said.
That love and support has been pouring in from Trevor's closest friends and previous colleagues, while the wider farming community has rallied around a man who was known for his fierce loyalty and unquestionable passion for agriculture.
One of those friends is John Hassell who first met Trevor back in the days when the CBH Group was going through its corporatisation battle.
The two farmers bonded over their love for the co-operative and for farming, quickly becoming best friends who travelled together and always supported each other.
"I spent nine years on the board of CBH with Trevor - I started off using hotel rooms or driving home after board meetings but pretty soon Trevor invited me to stay with him and we became very fast and firm friends," Mr Hassell said.
"He was an extraordinarily loyal person - to his family, to Pingrup, to his school and even to CBH, so much so that we he left the co-op in very unfortunate circumstances, he never bagged them out and he was resolute in that.
"He was a very loyal, determined and decent man - you take it for granted a bit when it's there but when you lose it, it's a horrendous thing - he meant the world to me and he is going to be terribly missed by many people."
While the family farm was his full-time job and ultimate passion, that never stopped Trevor from stepping up into a multitude of other roles all for the benefit of the farming community.
Over the years he served as vice president of the WAFarmers grains section, deputy chairman of the CBH Growers Advisory Council and most notably, grower director on the CBH board for 14 years.
Paying tribute to Trevor, CBH kept it simple with chairman Simon Stead stating they were all shocked and saddened to hear of his passing.
"Our sincere condolences to Trevor's wife Deb and their family," Mr Stead said.
"Our thoughts are with them at this very sad time."
With the many roles that he served, Trevor became a well-known figure in the grain industry, both on a State and national level.
That was acknowledged by Grain Producers Australia (GPA) which extended sincere condolences to Trevor's family and acknowledged his hard work and tireless contribution.
GPA deputy chairman and WA farmer Barry Large said the GPA board and members were saddened by the news of Trevor's sudden passing in a tragic accident at the weekend.
Mr Large said GPA's WA-based members and directors were especially feeling the loss and they wanted to highlight the Pingrup farmer's strong advocacy and dedicated service to our industry.
"Trevor earned great respect from his local community, and the respect and admiration of the broader grains industry, because he always stood up for what he believed in and always stood by what he thought was right," Mr Large said.
"He never shirked the tough issues and always championed the best interests of our industry with a can-do attitude; motivated by practical problem solving and ideas, to help benefit other farmers and their businesses.
"Our deepest thoughts are with Trevor's wife Debbie, family members and close friends, at this sad time."
Trevor's dedication to farming and it's communities was something that he held from a young age, with high school friend and now WAFarmers chief executive officer Trevor Whittington stating that Trevor was always up for the task.
"He was a born leader, smart, caring and always quick with an easy-going laugh," Mr Whittington said.
"He was a leader in our boarding house, head of house, a school prefect, a first eight rower, a State runner.
"He continued on as a leader in our school community after we left, rallying the boys to attend events as the country representative of the Christ Church Grammar School (CCGS) Old boys Association.
"And now he is gone and we are all poorer for it, as the small farming community just got that little bit smaller."
For Mr Whittington's full tribute to his friend 'Badge' see Section 2 of this week's edition of Farm Weekly.
Trevor's love for CCGS, which he boarded at from 1979 to 1983, was something that never faded.
When Trevor was in year 12, the school was going to trash a prized boat but Trevor had asked to keep the bow.
After he lovingly restored it, he presented it back to Christ Church principal Alan Jones in 2018.
CCGC alumni co-ordinator Deborah Hill said with the opening of the new river precinct at Christ Church, Trevor was delighted to unveil the treasure that proudly saw Christ Church win the 1958 Head of the River.
"The bow was offered to Trevor when he was Captain of Boats and McClemans House Boarding Captain," Ms Hill said.
"Housed in the farm shed since then, the bow needed plenty of love to eliminate wood rot and restore the original gold leaf signage of the name WJ McClemens.
"Thank you, Trevor for your care and dedication in preserving this chapter of history and sharing it for the benefit of future generations."
Trevor's love for his community started in high school and carried on into his adult life, with the farmer putting so much time and effort into Pingrup and into the wider farming community.
Shire of Kent president Scott Crosby said Trevor was a go-getter who was willing to do the extra yards to help others out.
"The men and women that serve on the board of CBH have to sacrifice so much of their own business and family time, but Trevor did that for 14 years and he wasn't on there for the fun of it, he was on there to make a better future for farmers," Mr Crosby said.
"You can't replace people like Trevor and as a Shire and a community, my thoughts go out to the family.
"It's going to be a very tough time and we are here to help them in any way we can."
