Bill Newman and Ron Beckett have passed on the sad news of Phil’s passing.

Phill Wall passed away today at Nepean Hospital when he finally succumbed to the progressively debilitating auto immune disease called CREST. Phill was stoic but suffering towards the end but he even  managed an arduous trip last month for a last farewell to his friends in the Tweed Valley. (Photo attached). Phil can be seen 3rd from right behind John Bennett

Many members will have worked with Phill and no doubt would have had great respect for him over his career which included work at Paddo, Broadway, Guam, San Francisco and Hong Kong.

It is a shame there aren’t more Phills in the world.

Regards

Bill Newman

FUNERAL SERVICE

Phill’s daughter, Lynette, has provided the link to his funeral service to be held on Friday 24th Feb.

https://www.whiteladyfunerals.com.au/upcoming-funerals/s5kx/

Christine Wall requests that in lieu of flowers could people please donate to Schleroderma Australia under Phill’s name.

The below photo was provided by Shaune Walsh and is a photo of Phil taken in Feb 1995 when Shaune and Phill travelled to a DCME workshop held in Israel.

Tweed  Valley  OTVA

We  were  all able  to  welcome Phil  Wall  visiting  from Sydney at our usual  meeting  held at  the  Riverview Hotel  Murwillumbah  on  Wednesday  18th  Jan.  2023.

We  understood  that  Phil had  health  issues and  we appreciated the  opportunity to  farewell Phil  for the  last  time.

Those present  L  to  R  ,

Bob Collins,  Bill  Newman, Steve Marshall, Gary Samuels,  Peter  [local], Paul  [local], Dave Kidd, Phill  Wall, John Bennett, Shane [Steve Marshall’s son].

John  Bennett

From Will Whyte

I’m attaching 3 photos.
The first 2 are combined and taken on a bushwalking trip to the Buderwang National Park, West of Ulladulla in July 1981. The left hand photo shows Phill second from the left in the back row.
The third photo shows Phill between Bruce Mayberry and Steve Marshall at our 2017 Christmas reunion.

David Charrett has pass on via Gregory Sachs the sad news of the passing of Kevin Reid.

I provide details of the funeral service for Kevin courtesy of Gregory Sachs. It appeared in this morning’s SMH.

Beloved husband of Barbara. Loved father and father-in-law of Andrew and Jace, Russell and Jess. Grandfather to Holly, Phoebe and Scarlett.

The funeral service for Kevin will be held at 1.30pm on Wednesday 1st February 2023 in the Camelia Chapel of Macquarie Park Crematorium.

Hamilton Funerals, 02 9449 5544.

If you would like to post a Tribute to Kevin’s family via the OTVA web site or share your memories of Kevin with other Vets please email me the details.

May He Rest In Peace.

Gregory Sachs has passed on the sad news that he has received verbal advice via an “old boy” network that Brian Curran passed away on Christmas Day.

Brian passed just short of his 82nd birthday. Brian’s birthday was 6^th January

Brian’s funeral is to be at:    St Joseph’s College in Mark Street Hunters Hill

When:                                  11am Friday 6^th January 2023

May He Rest In Peace

Doug MacDonald, son of Gray MacDonald (VK2BTY: T.I, Port Moresby, Rabaul and Sydney Radio) has advised of Bev’s passing.

We lost our loved mother and my father’s ‘love of his life’, Bev, just before Christmas.

Bev’s funeral is scheduled or Friday 6 January and will be live streamed from Robina QLD to assist those unable to attend in person.

May She Rest In Peace

The link to the live stream of Bev’s funeral service is:
https://vimeo.com/event/2748684

Gregory Sachs and John Mattes have passed on the sad news of the passing of Jeff Hinwood as delivered to them by Jeff’s brother, Gregory.

Jeff passed away on Friday, 2 December in hospital suffering from respiratory issues

Jeff was a very well respected Engineer with OTC and regularly attended OTVA social functions and Oaks lunches before Parkinson’s Disease prevented his travel from his home in Berry.

He will be remembered for his unfailing good humour and his gift for apposite and humorous comments.

May He Rest In Peace.

Robert McConchie advised that he had been contacted by Stan’s son, Brian, to pass on the sad news that Stan passed away on the 17/10/2022 at Dandenong Hospital  after breaking his NOF/hip.

Stan worked in Coastal Radio and VIM Melbourne.

May He Rest In Peace

Much loved wife of Tony Stuart a well liked and respected member of the OTC fraternity.

Carmel will be greatly missed by her children, Lisa & Paula, and grandchildren Emily, Eric, Mia & Duke as well as her large number of friends and family.

Carmel’s family and friends are invited to a celebration of her life to be held at St Anthony in the Fields Catholic Church, Myoora Rd, Terrey Hills on Thursday 20 October 2022 at 10:30am.

May She Rest In Peace

It is with great sadness that I relay the advice received from Ron Lukin that Geoff has passed away.

Ron received a phone call this morning from Colleen Oldman with the sad news that Geoff had a severe stroke some two weeks ago and passed away in the morning of  27th Sept.

His son and both daughters are currently supporting Colleen and Greg who has recently retired from IT is looking after the farm.

A memorial service is planned at their farm in Denman NSW at 11am on Wed 5 Oct.

Would appreciate it if you could pass this email onto Vet members and his Engineering Branch work mates.

May He Rest In Peace

If you have any Tributes that you would like to share with other members of the OTVA as well as Colleen and Geoff’s family please email them to me and I will pass them on. Also please indicate whether you agree for your Tribute to be shared with other members of the OTVA and Geoff’s family via the OTVA website.

Paul Mulcahy advised that Julie Yee has passed on the very sad news of the recent loss of both of her brothers, Robert and Tom Lee, within a few weeks of each other. Both Robert and Tom worked for OTC.

Robert passed away on 26-8-22 aged 75. Robert was  an Engineer. He had been in a nursing home for a few years as he suffered from Dementia.

Tom passed away on 12-9-22 aged 80. Tom had been suffering from Diabetes for many years. He worked in SOR for over 30 years and recently had been living in Tweed Heads.

May they Rest In Peace

Many thanks to Jim Simpson who passed this one for the enjoyment of other members who may be interested:

This brought back some memories for me since I visited Goonhilly Downs SES complex in Cornwall, UK around 2000 when I was based in London (1998-2001) & maybe of interest to other OTVA Vets.

Originally British Telecom, now privately owned.  An impressive complex still as active as ever in association with NASA & other space exploration activities where one can Take a break from SLS and tour the nerve center for Artemis, ESA, JAXA and maybe Starship?! – YouTube