The son and grandchildren of two Victorians who died from suspected death cap mushroom poisoning will speak at their public memorial service.
Hundreds of locals filed into Korumburra Recreation Centre on a dreary Thursday afternoon to farewell their much-loved neighbours, Don and Gail Patterson.
The couple, both 70, died in hospital after their daughter-in-law Erin Patterson cooked them a beef wellington at her Leongatha home in Victoria's southeast on July 29.
Neighbours greeted each other and embraced as they walked into the hall, which was packed with chairs as a photo of the couple looked over mourners on a large screen.
The feeling among the tight knit Korumburra community was one of gratitude for the Pattersons, who South Gippsland Shire mayor Nathan Hersey described as "instrumental".
Mourners also had Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, in their thoughts, after she too died following the lunch.
The Korumburra Baptist community has been praying for the recovery of Mrs Wilkinson's husband and local church pastor Ian Wilkinson, who remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.
"For a lot of people, (the service is) going to mean an opportunity to again, reflect, but also to give thanks for the lives of people who have been instrumental in our community," Cr Hersey told AAP ahead of the memorial.
"It's going to be closure to say goodbye and to have that opportunity to grieve that hasn't been there because it's been so public and been such an unusual circumstance."
The Patterson's son Simon is listed to speak at the service about his parents' family life, while the grandchildren will also share their memories of their "nana and papa".
There is a small police presence outside the community hall on Thursday afternoon.
The couple was recently laid to rest during a private burial after the town was thrust into the spotlight over speculation about what led to the deaths.
The memorial service will reflect the couple's Christian faith.
Police believe the four people were all poisoned by death cap mushrooms.
Ms Patterson, who has not been charged, is considered a suspect.
The 46-year-old Ms Patterson has claimed she made the beef wellington using button mushrooms from a major supermarket and dried mushrooms bought at an Asian grocery store.
Her estranged husband Simon was due to attend the lunch but pulled out, while her children were also out of the house at the time of the meal.
The children ate the leftover beef wellington the next day but Ms Patterson scraped off the mushrooms because they don't usually eat them, she said.
Ms Patterson said she ate a serving and later suffered bad stomach pains and diarrhoea, contrary to the suggestion of detectives that she did not fall ill.
The Victorian Department of Health is required to act if there is a food safety incident.
There have been no ordered recalls of mushroom products in the state since the suspected poisonings.
© AAP 2023