You may not have met Ruben Persson, but chances are if you ordered from his mum Geeti, at the Inner West Swedish Baker, he would have delivered your warm sourdough or Kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon buns).
This last week Ruben’s vast and loving community gathered to pay tribute to the artistic 21 year old following a tragic road accident which claimed his life.
Ruben was central to a group of passionate and creative young adults who loved the bush, music, art and nature.
From his base in Melbourne’s western suburbs, Ruben and his partner Lily explored life with a grab-with-both-hands approach, combining 4WD off-roading and bush camping with urban pursuits like planning and running doofs, gathering friends around at the drop of a hat for any reason (or none).
Ruben liked art; he approached life through an artistic lens, whether he was applying that to furniture making, music, drawing and painting, cooking or his garden beds. He was a prodigious innovator and creator and an inspiration in his community, usually found leading the charge in some new- found idea or direction.
His friends and family will remember him as a have – a – go type of guy, devoted to his mother, partner, sisters and friends, with a wicked sense of humour and wry outlook on life. He carried both the ability to visualise something and to make it happen, and his death is a loss to us all.
We love you Ruben and we celebrate your spirit within and all around us. See you soon.
Donations to Greenfleet Trust in Ruben Perrson’s name would pay tribute to his love of trees (tick Is this a gift? box). Donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Greenfleet plant native biodiverse forests in Australia and New Zealand to restore critical ecosystems and capture carbon emissions on behalf of donors.
Visit: www.greenfleet.com.au/donate
