Greg Martyn has passed on the sad news of Jan’s passing that he received from John via email.

I talked to John this morning and he told me that Jan had been fighting cancer since 2020. The medication that she had been taking since the initial diagnosis appeared to be working which was confirmed by the monthly blood tests and oncology results but in December 2025, they received the bad news that it had spread and that she had only a short time to live. She was home with the family at the time of her passing.

John is obviously saddened by his loss but has also been heartened by the number of people who have contacted him to express their condolences for his loss and to find out if he (John) is OK. The esteem in which Jan had been held through her life has made him realise what a wonderful person she was and that makes him feel grateful and appreciative.

Funeral services will commence at the Woronora South Side Chapel 01.00pm on 02 March 2026. John has asked that in lieu of flowers a donation to a cancer-related charity would be appreciated.

At the conclusion of this service people will be invited to attend a gathering at the Salvation Army Church, Bangor to celebrate her life. Tea and coffee, light refreshments will be available.

MARTIN BECK Obituary

Published by Coffs Coast Advocate on Sep. 26, 2012.

BECK, MARTIN WILFRED
25th September, 2012, peacefully at own home, late of Sandy Beach. Dearly beloved husband of Dorothy, loving father & father-in-law of Mark (dec’d), Carol & John Elliott, adored grandfather of Tegen and James.
Aged 77 Years
“Martin’s Last Flight”
Relatives and friends were invited to attend Martin’s Funeral held in the Chapel of Hogbin Drive Crematorium & Memorial Gardens, Stadium Drive, Coffs Harbour on Friday, 28th September, 2012 at 3.00p.m.
Friends were invited to join the family in the Garden Lounge for light refreshments following the Service.
In lieu of floral tributes the family asked for donations to the Oncology Unit at Coffs Harbour Health Campus, a collection box was at the Chapel.

Ref:-https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/martin-beck-obituary?id=46116496

For context on the photo below see the comment from Gary Samuels (below)

Dave Charrett advised that John Pitcher passed away last week. 

Kate Rouvray, daughter of Jeanne Luck (nee Fryar), was contacted by Isabella, John’s wife, to let her know that John sadly passed away on Friday, 6 February.

His funeral will be held on:

Friday 20 February at 10:00am

South Chapel, Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematoria 

Kate wanted to pass this information on, as there may be many former colleagues and friends who would like the opportunity to pay their respects.

Kind regards,

Kate Rouvray

Robert’s funeral service was held on Tue 20th Jan at Woy Woy on the Central Coast as he lived at Umina.

Steve Clark believes that Robert (Bob) had been ill for the last 18 months or so unfortunately.

Steve Clark first met Bob around 1989 when assigned to a trainee stint at OTC’s recently opened Oxford Falls Satellite Earth Station. Bob had previously worked at the Moree (NSW) satellite earth station and even possibly Ceduna (SA) before that but returned to NSW to be a part of the Oxford Falls staff.

After completing his traineeship Steve successfully applied to be stationed at Oxford Falls full time and worked closely with Bob as part of the shift environment for many years. At one point he took on the admin role of the DAMA satellite platform hub that serviced many of the tiny Pacific Island nations.

In the early 2000’s Bob took a redundancy and went to Vanuatu to work at a satellite station over there. 

Then in 2008 Bob made a return to Oxford Falls when the site went back to 24/7 shift coverage and needed experienced satellite techs quickly.

By that stage though Bob found the nightshifts a little more challenging and after a couple of years decided he’d had enough and left to pursue some private enterprise opportunities. It is at that time that Steve lost touch.

Steve was saddened to recently learn of Bob’s passing.

He was a very easy going guy, always had a story of his experiences somewhere and held the local crown at OXF as the man who could handle the hottest of spicy sauces!! He also had a brief cameo appearance alongside Steve and a few others from Steve’s trainee group in the “You and Me and OTC” promotional video that can be found on YouTube. 

May He Rest In Peace

Below is an image of Bob and Amanda’s wedding taken by Steve Frendo.

__PRESENT

Len Dooley has advised me this morning (22/01/2026) that he had just heard from the son of John Hampton, Lachlan, that John passed away last August in Florida after complications following breaking a leg in a fall.

Len reminds us that John worked at OTC for many years before moving to Intelsat.

Some of you may have already been made aware of John’s passing but others may not hence this notice on the OTVA website.

May He Rest In Peace

__PRESENT

Kevin O’Brien, Doug Tasovski and others have passed on the sad news of the passing of BobE.

Bob’s passing was expected for some time & although his wife, Jennie, is upset about him going she said he just gave up on life.

Bob E passed away on Sunday after a long illness of over 4 years caused by a stroke.

Jenny has asked for BobE’s friends and colleagues from OTC to be informed about his passing.

EMANUEL, Robert John

April 14th, 1953 – December 21st, 2025

Aged 72 years.

Loved by Jennie and by so many others in Blackheath, around Australia and across the world. He revelled in friendships everywhere.

Go well, dear Robbie.

Please join us to celebrate Rob’s life at Leura Memorial Gardens, on Monday, December 29th 2025, at 2pm, and afterwards at the Gardners Inn, Blackheath.

For funeral details please view:

trbrownjohnmemorialhome.com.au/funeral-notices/

(02) 4782 2613

Published by The Sydney Morning Herald on Dec. 24, 2025.

Fred Kannard has passed on the sad news that Ken Theaker passed away yesterday at his home in Wahroonga.

Margaret Noonan has supplied the details of Ken’s funeral service:

WHEN:               29th Dec at 10.30am

WHERE:             Camella Chapel,

Macquarie Park Cemetery & Crematorium

Plassey Rd, North Ryde.

After the service there will be light refreshments in the associated Wallumatta Function Centre.

Margaret Noonan worked with Ken Theaker, Morrie O’Connor, John Hibbard and others at OTC/Telstra

__PRESENT

__PRESENT

Vaughan Kippers has responded to the item on the OTVA website article in January 2016 on Bribie Island Radio.

“I know I’m almost ten years late, but I have a photo of my father, Derk Kippers, “signing off” (using Morse code) from VIB at Radio Street, Pinkenba, in June, 1966. VIB was later situated at 881 Bribie Island Road, Ningi, which is very obvious on Google Earth. OTC built five or six homes for the radio operators, on the western side of Caboolture in the vicinity of the intersection of King Street with Bellmere Road.”

I can’t provide any information about the “event” to which the photo relates. I do know that selection of the site at Ningi involved a long process. On a couple of occasions, I accompanied my father on a yacht that sailed around Moreton Bay, exchanging signals with shore sites that had been short-listed for the proposed site of the new radio station. I was 13-14 years old at the time.

A work colleague from NBNCo, Dave Standring, passed on the sad news of Ian’s passing yesterday. They think that he may have suffered a fatal heart attack.

David and his partner attended Ian’s 62^nd birthday last Saturday where he showed no signs of a health condition.

May He Rest In Peace

Mick Callaghan relayed to me the sad news of Ed’s passing over the weekend.

Ed’s wife, Anne Marie, phoned Mick to advise that Ed has passed after a collision of his ultra-light aircraft that he has built. Ed had been flying ultra-lights for many years. The accident is covered on page 4 of today’s Daily Telegraph.

I worked with Ed in the early 1980s in the ITMC and INMC sections at the Paddington Terminal building. After leaving those sections he worked with Anthony Kalcina and Mick Callaghan in a software development area to support the operation of the telecommunications network operated by OTC.

Ed was a happy go lucky and likeable chap who had a lot to offer to OTC and its staff from a technical and talent perspective.

I have asked Mick to pass on the sincere condolences of the members of the OTVA.