I am shocked and saddened to hear of Jeff’s sudden and unexpected passing. In my mind he is still pictured to be young and full of life. I worked at Paddington and only had limited dealings with Jeff when he worked at Broadway.

Jeff was well liked and respected by those who knew him and worked with him.

After finishing up with Reach in early 2000s Jeff moved to Hargraves 30Kms south west of Mudgee and 40Kms due west of Kandos (as the crow flies) where he ran his own business, Graphical Constructions. I recall that he was anxiously awaiting the delivery of nbn to enhance his capabilities and business opportunities.

Please email me a Tribute that can be uploaded to the OTVA web site for us to remember Jeff and his exploits. That will also be a way for us to send condolences to Jeff’s’ family and share our experiences knowing and working with Jeff in his years with OTC and Reach.

A Funeral Service will be held for Jeff as follows:

When:   10:30am Friday 15th January 2016

Venue:  Macquarie Valley Funerals

118 Market St,

Mudgee NSW 2850

The below photo was taken of Jeff and John Eades at John Daly’s farewell quite a few years ago (I am not sure of the date).

Many thanks to Trevor Clay for alerting us to this program on Ceduna.

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/back-roads/IV1507H001S00#playing

Features the OTC Satellite Earth Station 17 minutes into the video.

It was very interesting. Enjoy!

Much loved husband of Ruth. Cherished father of Julie, Geoffrey, Bill, Matt (dec’d) and Kaylie.

Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life for BOB was held in the Chapel of Lake Macquarie Memorial Park, Cessnock Road, Ryhope on MONDAY (October 19th) commencing at 10:00 am

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Tim Jensen has come across this funeral notice in the Sydney Morning Herald on Oct 17 but was unsure as to whether this was the same Bob Reeks that worked in the Coast Radio section in 1970 when Bob was about 45.

At the time Bob was working in the ANZ building Martin Place with Ray Hookway, Gordon Webster, and others.

The OTVA held its Christmas reunion in the function rooms at the Bowlers Club, 99 York Street, Sydney between midday and 3pm on Tuesday 24th November.

There were 57 attendees: Allan, Peter;Anderson, Bob; Barker, Tom; Beaton, Gary; Beckett, Ron;Bennett, John; Breeze, Bill;Bull, Peter; Callaghan, Mick; Charles, Don;Clay, Trevor; Corben, Jules;Coutts, Dave; Craig, Ross; Currie, John; Davis, Max; Dentskevich, Bob; Francis, Gregg; Game, Mike; Grant, Dennis; Gray, Steve; Hainke, Neville; Hennessy, Allan; Hinwood, Jeff; Hookway, Ray; Huddy, Graham;Hulme, Jim; Jensen, Tim; Jolly, Bill; Kelly, Col; Lions, Bob; Lloyd, Peter; Lukin, Ron; Marshall, Steve; Martyn, Greg; McCredden, Keith; McDermott, John; McDonald, Ian; Miles, Ted; Mills, Peter;O’Brien, Kevin; Oldman, Geoff; Phillips, John; Pow, Ray; Richardson, David; Simpson, Jim; Smith, Ross; Stuart, Tony; Travis, Brian; Tuckfield, Robin; Veverka, Dean; Vossen, John; Wan, Ernie;Wilden, Mick; Wills, David; Woloszuk, George; Yakalis, Neil.

There were 5 late apologies received: Emanuel, Bob; Trebeck, Peter; Hopkins, Kim; Brand, Robert; McCann, Paul; Hibbard, John.

The Buffet meal was well received by members and provided great variety catering for a wide variety of tastes. The rooms were well laid out enabling members to move around relatively easily and say Hello to everyone present.

There was probably 40 years difference between the youngest member and the most senior generating a wealth of stories both factual and exaggerated as happens after many years and a few beers.

From what I could see a great time was had by all.

Many thanks to the committee for a job well done. Events like this don’t just happen. They require a lot or planning and organisation by a dedicated few.

Special thanks to Kevin O’Brien, David Richardson and Robin Tuckfield for their work in collecting the money at the door. Nobody escaped!

Peter Bull

One of my first field training experiences was at the ISCC located on the old Level 1 at Paddington. I was introduced to Paul Mulcahy, Pat Anderson and Eddie Tammes. Pat and Paul were nice people but I found Eddie to be a very cranky and angry person. I was later told that this was probably due to his Dutch heritage but I think that it was just Eddie being Eddie.

When I finished my training I spent 12 months in Head Office working in the Quality of Service Section under Ernie Wan and Graham Markey. QoS had a close linkage to ISCC as it produced some of the qualitative reporting used by QoS so my association became almost a daily one albeit over the phone. I had a great time working for Ernie who was a great boss. I also had the real pleasure of working with Roy Ranger. He was a great character and a really nice guy.

After 12 months I was anxious to get to a technical area with hands-on exposure to equipment. I wrote a number of letters requesting a transfer and was getting nowhere when Roy suggested that I ask Ron Flood. Floody was really accommodating and delegated the task to Lawrie Waller with instruction that I be sent to Broadway. Lawrie sent me to Paddington ITMC. In his mind I think that he thought it to be punishment as Broadway was the newer station with handpicked staff capable of understanding and adapting to the newer technology which may have been correct at that time. 5 years later Paddington had a new Ericsson AKE telephone exchange. Technology is never static.

I spent the next 17 years at Paddington and enjoyed every minute of it. What a great bunch of people and what a great experience for my first job!

I worked with ISCC and ITMC more closely than with teh other groups at Paddington.

Below is a picture taken by the Marketing Section for which Jim Hulme (ITMC) was asked to pose alongside Eddie.

Peter Bull

In yesterday’s SMH there was a Death Notice for John Bartlem HOPLEY (7.5.1925-9.11.15). John worked for OTC for over 20 years,firstly in the Methods Section and then in the Secretariat.He was a quiet and meticulous person whose work was always of a high standard.During WW2,he served in the RAF from 1943 to 1947.His last years were spent in a nursing home in the ACT.

David Richardson

Debra Flaherty, the daughter of William “Ern” Anthoney, has advised that Ernie Anthoney passed away last Saturday night from a massive stroke.

If any friends or colleagues of Ernie would like to attend his funeral it will be held on Friday 13th November at 11.45, St Catherine Laboure Catholic Church Gymea Bay Rd, Gymea NSW 2229.

A reception will be held at The Gymea Bowling Club, The Kingsway, Gymea, following the funeral.

Debra advised that Ernie valued his time in OTC and always enjoyed the Vets meetings where he had the opportunity to rekindle relationships and remember the good times that he enjoyed in OTC.

If you would like to send me a Tribute to Ernie I will publish it on the web site and pass it on to Debra and the rest of the family to help them remember their dad.

Attached is a photo supplied by Laurie McIlree that was taken in the telegraph work shop Spring St. Sydney around 1958. Laurie thinks that Ernie is the third from the right with other people who worked there at that time.

Vi passed away in Moe Victoria. Vi was cremated at the Bunurong Memorial Park Dandenong South.

Vi commenced with OTC on 1.8.1954 as a Telephonist and later as a Phono/Printer/Beam Operator then Overseer Printergrams until retirement/redundancy. Vi loved her Golf being a Member of the Moe Golf Club also a keen Bird Watcher, Reader, Gardener and Photographer. A great supporter of the OTC Netball Team in Melbourne so many years ago and always in attendance.

Vi was held in high esteem by her colleagues being in charge of the Telephonists section as a lady that stood no nonsense from male or female colleagues that needed to be kept in order, which Vi was an expert at.

Notice of her death was not published until after the event.

Joan passed away in the Linacre Hospital Hampton Victoria. Joan was cremated at Springvale Crematorium

Since Joan’s parents passed away many years ago Joan has lived with her sister Hazel and her late husband Vern in Hampton Vic.
Joan has had a few falls over the last few years, broken hip, and recently found she had a fractured leg and was ulcerated and put in the Linacre Hospital Hampton where she remained and passed away there.

Joan belonged to the Banjo Club Melbourne for many years. My dear friend and work colleague Joan I met the first day I started at OTC (A) in Queen Street Melbourne in February 1957 and it was a pleasure to have worked with Joan very closely for 28 years or more. On 22nd August I decided to ring Joan to see how she was going, shocked to find that Joan passed away 7 weeks ago and no notice in papers.

Joan was featured in the August 1988 TRANSIT Longest-serving member: Joan Miller Retires with the distinction of being the longest- serving staff member to retire from OTC, following 47 years in the business – beginning with AWA in 1941. George Maltby presented Joan with a Gold watch.

RIP Joan. (by Robert Hall)