At last Thursday’s meeting of Vets at Club York in Sydney several of us asked Trevor’s son-in-law, Ian McDonald, and others for an update on Trevor. The update was that Trevor (aged 97) was doing well with care from nursing home staff and his daughters one of which, Jann, had attended the OTVA XMAS function.
Unfortunately Ian advised at 9:55am on Sunday morning that Trevor passed away with no pain at the Moran Nursing home Engadine. He would have been 98 today (Monday 18/11/24).
He didn’t quite make it to his birthday party which was to be held yesterday.
He was mentally excellent but had problems with hearing and mobility.
A “Celebration of Trevor’s life” will be held at the Trade Union Club at Gymea on Friday 6 December at 2.00 pm
If you will attend the celebration of Trevor’s life please email Ian McDonald <ianmcdonald01@optusnet.com.au> (Note 01 not O1) so that he can advise the club for catering,
If you cannot attend in person but would like to remotely watch the event via the streaming service please email Ian McDonald <ianmcdonald01@optusnet.com.au> and he will send you the remote access link.
14 Comments
Oh dear!!! So sorry to hear of Trevor’s passing.
Please pass on my condolences to Ian, Jann and Trevor’s extended family and friends.
Thank you
Roger Boyden
RIP Trevor
I wish that I had known Trevor was at Moran in Engadine.
As I live nearby i would have popped up the street to visit him. I had a lot of time for Trevor.
Cheers
Bob Dean
So sorry to hear of Trevor’s passing.
Please pass on my condolences to Ian, Jann and Trevor’s extended family and friends.
Thank you
Gerry Serrao
RIP Trevor
Very sorry to hear of the passing of Trevor Thatcher with whom I had many contacts over the years at OTC. For reasons I never knew, Trevor always called me ‘cousin’, always in a jocular manner. He was extremely helpful on various staffing matters.
Anyone who had need to seek his advice was appreciative of his time and effort to help.
A small incident I recall was asking his advice about an electric plug- in clock which I had been given and which sometimes went backwards after a power outage. ‘Just switch it off and restart’ was his advice and it worked!
David Richardson
RIP Trevor
I had lots of contact with Trevor during our time at OTC.
He was Ron Flood’s right hand man for many years.
Regards Fred Kannard
I am very sad to hear of Trevor Thatcher’s passing. I worked with Trevor in Cable Services for more than a year and he was an incredibly knowledgeable technical manager.
The highlight of his time in cable services was when Seacom failed near Guam. Trevor organised Cable & Wireless cable ship “Recorder” to embark from Singapore.Trevor and and Mick Wood located the break in the Mariana Trench with great accuracy and the Recorder’s captain, David Ferrie, complimented Trevor on his superb efforts. There was a small problem when Captain Ferrie took control of the Guam end recovery at the last moment and in his excitement on getting a visual of the cable a few feet under the surface, managed to get the cable grapnel to let go of the cable!, The recovery effort and equalisation went off without a further hitch. The end of this story was being invited aboard Recorder when it was in dry dock in Newcastle where David Ferrie laid on magnificent canapes and a rugby game played by the crew on the dockside for us.
Vale Trevor.
Jeremy Cubitt
Attached is the Enlistment Photo of Trevor William Thatcher when he enlisted on 23/01/1945 to join the RAAF with his skills as a telegraphist.
Prior to enlistment, Trevor had left school in Year 7/8 (2 years of high school) to join the Post Office (PMG) in his hometown of Yass. He was working as a telegraphist, among other duties with the PMG.
The RAAF required the PMG to release him before he could complete his enlistment in January 1945.
Trevor would be discharged on 08/10/1945 with the rank of Aircraftman, and was attached to 1 Engineering School at the time.
Regards,
Chris Hartley
Trevor was a real gentleman and I always had good memories of him as he decided to interview me in unusual circumstances, for the OTC training opportunity for the 1965 intake in Brisbane.
My deepest sympathies to Ian and his family.
Jim Hulme
Trevor was a real nice guy, and a gentleman.
RIP Trevor
Chris McMahon
What a wonderful man he was. He interviewed me along wit Ray Baty in early 1966.
I always enjoyed running into him in the Paddington building he was bright and cheerful.
RIP Trevor
Regards
Bob Murray
Some people pass through your life and leave little in the way of memories, not so with Trevor.
In my early years In Paddo ITMC, I certainly remember Trevor for all the good reasons, his practical jokes, (one in particular where on a night shift he got behind the racks and made weird sounds that rattled a cleaner who I suspect was a little inebriated) and his mannerisms.
Great bloke!
RIP Trevor
John Eades
I always remember Trevor to be a person with honour and integrity who was liked and respected by his managers, his peers and us techs unlike many that I recall during those halcyon years.
Luckily I did not get on the wrong side of him so did not seen anything but one of natures gentlemen who cared for others and operated with a smile and a cheeky grin on his face.
RIP Trevor
Peter Bull
Sorry to hear of the passing of our next door neighbour from Suva days.
This was back in 1955/ 56. Both of us working for OTC , seconded to Cable and Wireless.
He was a good person to work with and have a laugh with.
Many years of working with him in OTC in several different locations.
A friendship that was one of a kind , just as Trevor was.
RIP Trevor
Des Kinnersley
I was a trainee in OTC Head office in Martin Place and I worked a couple of desks away from Trevor Thatcher, perhaps when I was about 18, in 1968
Trevor explained to me that there were some bad spelling typewriters around, whenever there was a spelling mistake, it was because of a bad spelling typewriter
He was a very happy person who brought joy to all around.
Regards
Matt Saunders