It is with great sadness that I advise you of the passing of Keith McCredden who many of you would have known from his long association with OTC and the OTVA.
Bob Dean has passed on the sad news that Keith lost his battle with cancer this morning. Keith had been suffering ill health from cancer for about 5 years and had been in palliative care in hospital for the past few weeks. Gai and his family (sons: Ian, Jamie & Andrew) were able to spend the past 2 days with him and were at his side at the time of his passing.
Many of you will remember Keith from his days in the Message Relay Switching Centre (MRSC) as well as when he was appointed to several management roles across Head Office, Broadway & Paddington.
Keith always had a smile on his face and a funny chuckle as a laugh that set the platform for a warm friendly relationship which he would extend to all with whom he met.
Keith also came out of retirement in 1992 to support Mike Hofman and Bill Millar in the Optus Network Operations Centre for about 5 years.
Keith was a good friend and colleague to many of us who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him over the years..
Keith was a real gentlemen and he will be missed by his family and his many friends and associates.
May He Rest In Peace.
If you would like to send Gai and Keith family members a Tribute to Keith please email it to president@otva.com and I will share it with Gai. Please advise if you ALSO give permission for me to upload your Tribute to the OTVA webs site for others to see and remember Keith.
23 Comments
This is very sad news.
Keith was Manager at Carnarvon SES for a number of the years I worked there.
He was highly regarded in this role.
Please pass on my condolences to Gai and the family.
Kind regards,
David (and Helen) Solomon.
So sad to hear about Keith, a true gentleman.
Mick Callaghan
It was with great sadness that I read about the passing of Keith. My late husband Gray and I shared some very happy times with Gai and Keith over the many years of our association with OTC, so the memories will live on.
Please pass on my heartfelt condolences and love to Gai and all their family, and I know he will be sadly missed.
Bev MacDonald xx
We knew Keith was very ill as my neighbours are good friends with the McCredden’s. It goes right back to when they both had their babies in adjoining hospital beds years ago. They always stayed in touch.
Regards,
Neil Yakalis
Very sad news indeed Peter.
Whilst Keith & I had quite different roles within ‘the company’ in our respective early days; Keith in the technical aspects of the MRSC whereas I was an Operator in the SOR; we had a common link / involvement by way of the MRSC (ie 2 x Univac 418 computers) that were housed at the International Gateway Exchange at Paddington. Halcyon days where we helped lead the world in the automation of message switching systems in the 1960’s
Our paths then diverged & we both went in different directions, only to converge again when Keith & I came to renew our acquaintance thanks to the OTVA & our occasional get togethers at the Bowlers Club. One of nature’s gentlemen. He’ll be missed.
Rgds, Jim Simpson
Just a few words as I think about a good friend and Life Member of OTVA.
Keith was one of a kind. A great manager who took the time to listen, make wise decisions and who put every effort into considering the best welfare for his people. But more than that, Keith became a good friend, especially in our time working together in the Optus Network Operations Centre.
At that time, we saw Keith take on a minor part role with enthusiasm and expertise, which, along with his good humour and attitude brought him much respect. His concern for people went further than those around him and every few months or so, he would rally people to donate blood at the Red Cross Blood Service to help those in critical need.
I am really saddened to hear of his passing and pray that Gai and the family be comforted through this time.
Will Whyte
I started work with Keith in Queen St Melbourne in 1956.
We made M.O.R (Melbourne Operating Room) about the same time.
Sad news
Ron Carey
So sorry to hear about the passing of Keith, a true gentleman of the cable era.
Poorly treated by some personalities in OTC Management later in his OTC career.
Very sorry to hear of Keith’s passing.
Keith, I think, joined OTC about 1955 -so he certainly had a long career, including, Fanning Island?
He was also on the OTVA Committee for some time.
David Richardson
Attached is a photo I took of Keith having a bat in an OTC vs Telecom match at Carnarvon around 1982.
RIP Keith.
Regards
Graham Watts
So sad to hear this news.
I knew Keith best from the Optus years. He truly was a Gentle Man.
He did what was asked of him and treated all with great respect.
My commiserations to his family.
Ben McGee
Yes, it’s sad about Keith, always seemed to be a kind person.
Greg Martyn
Keith was the STO1 in the MRSC when I joined OTC in 1999 as a programmer on the Univac 418 computer system.
My experience working with Keith was very professional and I found him to be most helpful.
He had a most likeable manner and in the few years we worked on the MRS together, We became good friends.
I was most distressed at hearing of his passing. I knew he was not well but its always a shock to hear of its announcement.
Please accept the condolences of my wife Bernadette and myself.
Tony Lowther
To the wife and family of Keith McCredden
I’m saddened to hear of Keith’s passing. After completing my training I was assigned to the MRSC in 1975.
Keith was a great role model, friendly, helpful and held in the highest regard by everyone.
There have been very few men in my career who have had such a positive impact on my life.
My condolences to his family.
May He Rest in Peace
Warren Paton
I met Keith when he was the manager at Broadway. A quiet spoken, friendly and warm person.
He loved talking about cricket and I was told he was quite an accomplished player in his youth.
May he rest in peace. My prayers and thoughts are for the family.
Take care.
Gerry. Serrao
Keith, such a nice guy!
Warmly remembered.
Another star in Heaven.
Len Wylde
Dear Gai,
I was deeply saddened to hear of your loss.
Keith was more then a just a good friend, he was a staunch
supporter and ally to me (as my Vice President) during those
early and difficult days of my Presidency of the OTVA, after
OTC ceased to exist.
As I lost my dear wife, Fay, eleven years ago, I know what you
are experiencing, now.
When I was obliged to stand down from the Presidency, in 2000,
(due to impending, serious cancer surgery) Keith didn’t hesitate to
respond to my request that he assume those responsibilities until the
next OTVA AGM, for which I am eternally grateful.
Please accept my heartfelt sympathy and condolences to you and your family.
Sincerely yours
Tom Barker.
Although Keith was well known in OTC particularly with the technical groups he also contributed to social activities on OTC.
Keith was a valuable member of the OTC Cricket Club . Cricket was played at Moore Park on Saturday mornings and Keith was a valuable member. He was also played cricket for Sydney against our Melbourne Office at the Annual Wagga Wagga weekend. The Wagga Wagga weekend was a sporting weekend between Sydney and Melbourne Office and that lasted for 50 years of OTCs existence.
Keith was also a keen member of the OTC Fishing Club and had been involved until the last couple of years. The remaining OTC members, Mick Wilden, Peter McInness, Alan McPherson, Keith Suzuki and Bob Dean will certainly miss him on out future trips.
Keith was one of natures gentlemen and a good friend and will be sadly missed by his work colleagues, his friends and especially by Gai and his family.
May he rest in peace
Bob Dean
Miss Me–But Let Me Go ! ________________________________________
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room.
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little–but not too long
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me–but let me go.
For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan,
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds.
Miss Me–But Let me Go!
by Edgar Albert Guest
________________________________________
Supplied by John Pitcher
In the mid 1960’s OTC replaced the old manual postal telegram concept with a completely new electronic system called the Message Relay System.
OTC management needed a project leader for the assignment and appointed Dave Charrett to the job.
OTC Management recognized that David would need a Deputy with proven skills in Leading a team of widely different individuals, Integrating their efforts and Delivering optimum outcomes. OTC Management team members and David were unanimous in selecting Keith for the job.
Keith was a shining example of success during difficult times.
Keith served his Colleagues and his employer with distinction.
Those of us who are still here will remember Keith with fondness. His wicked sense of humour will also be remembered.
John Pitcher
Gai and Family,
Our heartfelt condolences to you and your extended Family on the passing of Keith.
My wife, daughters and I lived opposite Keith & Gai in Carnarvon during our first posting at the Carnarvon Satellite Station. We personally have such fond memories of Keith and your family.
When we first landed on the plane from Sydney to relocate to Carnarvon, Keith, who was managing the OTC Carnarvon Satellite Station, came to the small Carnarvon Airport to pick us up. We were a young family and this was my first posting, and it meant a great deal to me to have a manager who cared enough about his staff, such that he would find time to greet us at the Airport. It was a memory that stays with me to this day. It spoke Volumes about his character as both a Human Being and a Leader. I am certain that I can attribute some of the success of my own career to the influence that Keith had on me in those formative days.
Many years later I had the opportunity to work with Keith at Optus. Bill Millar and the Optus Network Operations team valued Keith’s contribution to the building of that Network Operations Centre. I also benefited greatly from his extensive understanding of Telecommunications Networks and his camaraderie in what were extremely challenging times for the rapidly growing infant that became the world standard Optus Mobile Network.
Whilst I know this is a difficult time, I do hope that you will gain comfort from the wonderful career and contribution of Keith to the development of the Australian Telecommunications Industry, and many of the people within it, such as myself.
Thinking of you
Chris Eagles
An additional story on Keith from Mick Wilden
With the passing of Keith McCredden, Mick Wilden, OTC Paymaster, passed on these memories of Keith.
It began in 1961 when Keith, a trainee cable officer, came up from Melbourne for training in Sydney. Keith came out to played cricket for OTC at Moore Park before returning to Melbourne. Keith was a fine cricketer with both bat and ball and got on well with the rest of the team. Some of the other team members included Dave Cowie, SOR, Bill Martin, SOR, Peter Gorman, accounts, Al McPherson, pay office, Tony Richardson, Engineering, Tom Coleman, supply, Noel Chapman, SOR, Bob Simcoe, Stores, John Morrison, telex and Bob Dean, accounts.
I next met Keith in 1964 when he arrived on Cocos Keeling Island where i was the managers clerk. Noel Chapman was also there. Keith had been on Fanning Island prior to coming to Cocos.
We next met back in Sydney in 1966 and played cricket at Moore Park for many years together. In those days George and Mary Maltby would come out to Moore Park to watch us play and always brought an esky filled with biscuits and nibbles and of course grog. After the esky was emptied (which didn’t take very long) the boys would retire to the Bat and Ball Hotel or the Captain Cook Hotel for more refreshments and enjoyable conversations.
In mid 1964 Ray Peacock, accounts, and his wife Val had their honeymoon at Lake Jindabyne. The following year it opened for trout fishing and Ray, Peter Martin , a Scottish mate, Roy Stanners and myself went camping and fishing for a week. This group quickly grew over the years to include Keith, Al McPherson, Bob Dean, tony Richardson, Keith Suzuki and Peter Gorman. After a number of years the fishing trip moved to Burrunjuck Dam and then to Laureton for deep sea fishing. The fishing trip is still going and this will be the first year we have missed and that is due to COVID. That’s not a bad record for an event and you can just imagine the stories that have evolved from these trips and there would be enough to fill a book.
Keith’s family and my family grew up together and i will truly miss Keith as a friend, a confidant and a wonderful person. In all the time i have known Keith I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him.
He was undoubtedly one of natures true gentlemen.
May he rest in peace.
Mick Wilden
I found Keith’s memorial service very moving.
The Tribute from the OTVA brought back a flood of memories.
From my time with Keith at MRS he was a real gentleman and sadly did not deserve such a brutal end.
As a recoveree of cancer I can only marvel at how Keith suffered the disease for 5 years without complaint. This shows to me the true character of the man.
Please pass on my deepest respect to Gai and his family. The passing of a real gentleman.
Best regards
Richard Faddy