Paul Weirick , Kevin O’Brien and John McDermott have passed on the sad news of Peter’s passing on Friday morning (5 August) at Greenwich Hospital in the company of eight of his family

Peter had been suffering from motor neurone disease for the last 2 years.

Peter cycled every week with a group of “old” OTC friends, who will miss his ever-cheery smile.

Our thoughts are with Ailsa, Kelly, Brett, & Alexander at this difficult time.

May He Rest In Peace

Paul Weirick has passed on advice from Peter Dee’s wife, Ailsa, that there will be a gathering to celebrate Peter’s life at the Manly Golf Club in Sydney.

WHEN:                  12.30pm – 4.30pm Fri 9 September 2022

WHERE:                Manly Golf Club, 38-40 Balgowlah Rd, Balgowlah 2093

Anybody wishing to come long and join with family and friends to celebrate Peter’s life would be most welcome.

However the club has asked to be advised of numbers, so if anybody would like to come, could they please advise me via email or text ASAP but no later than say Wednesday 24^th August.

I will pass the details on to Paul who will consolidate a list for Ailsa

Chris Harley advised of the passing of Ernest Bywater

Ernie Bywater worked with Chris at OTC (A) in the Records Section during the late-1970s into early 1980s

Born 7th November 1954, third child to Ernest & Evelyn Annie Bywater. Brother to Gary and Catherine. Passed peacefully in his sleep after a short illness at the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital on Saturday 16th July 2022, leaving behind his son Allyn.

A service of Thanksgiving will be held in the Elouera Room Chapel, 2 Station Place Wagga Wagga on Saturday 30th July 2022 commencing at 11:00am.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.

May He Rest In Peace

Keith Gray has advised that Don’s wife, Kathryn, has passed on the sad news that that Don has passed away. Other friends have advised that Don had a sudden and fatal heart attack.

Don was a trainee technician from 1962 to 1964  at the Paddington Training School run by Jon Cresswick. Keith was in the same group as Don.

Keith is not sure where Don worked in OTC after he completed his Field Training so he would be interested to hear from other Vets where he may have worked.

During the last few years Keith had kept in touch with Don attending a few get togethers for lunch and meetings with other ex OTC guys.

May He Rest In Peace.

David Solomon has advised that Colin Reddel passed away on Friday 15th July.

Colin worked for OTC in the satellite area in Head Office. He made a number of trips to Carnarvon, when I worked there.

Later he worked with the National Satellite Division which became Aussat. Colin was based in Los Angeles for over two year, monitoring the Hughes ground system contract covering the Belrose and Lockridge sites. He was my manager for the 10 months I worked with Hughes in L.A.

Colin continued with Optus until he retired to Corlette at Port Stephens.

Colin was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer 6 weeks ago.

Colin is survived by his wife Jenni and son Greg, who live at Corlette and his oldest son Stephen, who lives in the U.K.

A memorial service will be held at Gateway Presbyterian Church in Anna Bay at 11am on Wednesday 27th July.

May He Rest In Peace.

Below is a photo of Colin (tallest in the centre) with a group of young adults at a Carnarvon Church event, circa 1971 or 1972 (supplied by David Solomon)

Jim Simpson has relayed the sad news provided by Joy Goodman that her partner, Bob Goodman, has passed away last night (Monday 27 June 2022).

Jim has previously advised the Vets that Bob had been unwell for a long time and in care, though his memory of his special time & involvement with OTC/NASA remained firm.

Bob had a high profile involvement in the co-ordination of international telecommunications services via OTC in support of NASA’s past space missions, not least the Apollo 11 Moon Landing on 21^st July 1969.

Jim offered to share this sad news with colleagues who knew Bob during his working life:

• OTVA veterans
• John Sarkissian (Parkes Deep Space Radio Telescope) and Colin Mackellar, both of whom have close links with others that Bob worked with in those days in the NASA Tracking Stations in Tidbinbilla, Honeysuckle Creek
• Mike Dinn, former Deputy Director for NASA in Canberra.

The members of the OTVA have expressed their sincere condolences to Joy at this sad time.

In keeping with Bob’s wishes the funeral service will be a family/private affair.

Kevin William Shea passed away on 28.5.2022 age 81   (3.12.1940 – 28.5.2022) in hospital of heart failure complications.

Kevin started at OTC (A)  Queen Street Melbourne 10.8.1959 as C/A , ITO, SITO, FAX, until Redundancy ?1988

Kevin’s other interest  Music Teacher at Collingwood Tech, until his retirement.

The Funeral Service will be held in the Crick Chapel Fawkner Crematorium on TUESDAY 7^th JUNE at 1.00pm

Loving companion of Marion.  Loved and Loving father of Brett and Andrea.

Father-in-law of Kelly and Chris.  Adored by his Grandchildren Zaree, EJ, Wil, Maddie and Brodie.

Will be missed greatly.  Travel well through the gates.

On behalf of the OTVA we extend our sincere sympathy and condolences to family and friends.

Robert Hall

President OTVA Melbourne

John Barker has advised of the passing of Phil Psaila who John advised was probably in his late 60s. Phillip passed way at 3 PM Monday 9^th May 2022 from pancreatic cancer. You may recall Phil from OTC Engineering and Training. He will be sadly missed by wife, Kim, and his children, Vivian and Thomas.

Kim messaged Neale Hoggan on Monday 16 May that Phil wanted cremation only, no service.

Phil’s cremation will be on Saturday 21st May at Wagga Wagga – No service.

The family is having a private small family lunch for Phil after the cremation.

I well remember Phil from my days at Paddington Terminal. Phil was a happy go lucky friendly person who was well liked and respected by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

If you have any memories of Phil that you would like to share with his friends and family via the OTVA web site or just with others on this email distribution list please email them to me indicating your preference and I will share them around.

May He Rest In Peace

John Bennett has passed on the sad news of the passing of John Toland.

Mark Toland called JB to advise that John had passed away last Sunday, 12 December aged 96 after complications with eating.

A Service won’t be held until February. Mark will advise of the date, time and place once those details are known.

The below photo of John was found in the Transit library and was taken at the Bounty Day Picnic in 1983

According to Barbara’s daughter, Elizabeth (Libby)  Barbara been suffering from memory loss for the past 2 years and had put herself into Ferndale Gardens Aged Care facility in Mortdale in the southern suburbs of Sydney to get help and reduce the burden on her family and the staff of the IRT Retirement Village in Peakhurst to which she moved after Henry’s passing 6 years ago in 2015.

Libby said that Barbara started to feel unwell on Sunday 14^th November and developed a headache. Barbara had a stroke on the Wednesday and passed away  on the following Saturday (20.11.21).

From Death Notice in Sydney Morning Herald (dated 27 November 2021)

Barbara Cranfield (16.02.1933 0 20.11.2021)

Beloved wife of Henry (dec.), loving father of Elizabeth and Robert, mother-in-law of Therese, Dear Grandma of Michael and sister to Robert and Margaret.

Always in our Hearts

Family and friends of Barbara are invited to attend her funeral service to be held at Mary Mother of Mercy Chapel, Rookwood Catholic Cemetery, Barnet Ave, Rookwood on Tuesday November 30, 2021 commencing at 11.00am.

No flowers by request.

John Morrison has provided the sad news of the passing of Trevor Pike.

Noticed Trevor’s name in today’s obits. He apparently passed away on 26^th September, no other info was listed.

I had a Christmas card from him in 2019 which he said in part,

“have been in and out of hospital most of 2019 and will be glad to see the end of 2019. I’ve been undergoing chemo and radiation therapy, after having a whipples operation in Canberra for pancreatic cancer.  I’ve lost the pancreas, spleen, gall bladder and other bits and pieces as well as 15kg in weight. Will find out the results early next year”

He then said would be in touch when/if he got to Sydney – unfortunately he never contacted me. It sounds like his last couple of years would have not been pleasant.

John  recalls that Trevor was a member of the Vets, at least at one stage. John remembers going to a vets outing at the Mandarin Club in Goulburn Street with him.

That would have been at least 20 years ago as that was about when Keith McCredden encouraged Col Kelly and me to join the Vets.

If you have any Tributes and/or memories of Trevor that you would like to share with other Vets and for upload to the OTVA web site please email them to me.

May He Rest In Peace