Obituaries

In retirement, he played golf at Nelson Bay Country Club where he was a member. He also had a golf cart where he sold drinks and food on the weekends.

Whether it being at the Golf Club/ Course or at the Fingal Bay Surf Club he met many famous people, i.e. Russell Crowe, John Edrich the English Cricketer. The saying being ‘if you haven’t met “Brownie”, you haven’t been to Nelson Bay’.

Tony attended Manly West School then Barker College from 1953 to 1957 as a day boy together with his brother Berry, completing his Leaving Certificate in 1957.

At Junior School (Manly West) he was a brilliant runner, footballer and cricketer. He captained the NSW Primary Schools Rugby League Team in 1952, winning the Dally Messenger Trophy for the Best and Fairest Player at the carnival on the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

In Tony's first year at Barker, he unfortunately broke his leg badly and was unable to play football or participate in athletics again. He did however play in the 1st XI in 1956 and 1957 receiving his Colours. He was also the Schools Medium Boxing Champion in 1954. On leaving Barker, Tony joined the ANZ Bank, rising to Bank Manager, managing branches in the city, suburbs, Broken Hill, and finally finishing up as Bank Manager at Nelson Bay.

Tony married and had four children, Corrie, Luke, Clint and Brodie, who together with nine grandchildren survive him.

Tony passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on the 7 May 2022 at Shoal Bay Nursing Home.

Berry Brown (56)

Reverend Peter George Carman (50) 1934 – 2022 him as a man. Peter also enjoyed sports during his time at Barker. He placed in Swimming and Athletics competitions, was Captain of the U14B XV Rugby team and in the U15B XV. In his final year at Barker he was the winner of the Welterweight Division in Boxing. Peter continued his connection to Barker over the years attending many reunions and OBA Seniors events (formerly Over 70s’ Club). A rich friendship lasting 78 years began at Barker when Peter and Warren Wilson met as 10 year old boys.

Peter was ordained into the Anglican ministry in 1960. After fourteen years of parish life and ten years of chaplaincy to juvenile offenders, Peter became the chaplain at St Vincents Hospital in Darlinghurst. Following his retirement in 1996, he continued with pastoral work at St Philips in York Street Sydney, some locum tenens, part-time and voluntary ministries.

During his life, Peter enjoyed many pastimes including surfing (on a body-board), tennis, golf, lawn bowls, and attending the opera, ballet and theatre with his wife Diana.

Peter Carman attended Barker College as a boarder from 1944 to 1950. A highlight of his time at Barker was his Confirmation in 1948. It was through Barker Chapel services that Peter came into the Christian faith which moulded

Peter, late of Wollstonecraft, died on 1 November 2022 and is survived by his wife Diana, sons Michael and Justin and their families. He was an adoring grandfather to his four grandchildren.

Jeremy was born in Derby, England and emigrated to Australia when aged two years old with his parents and two siblings as Ten-Pound Tourists. He grew up in the family home in Turramurra and attended Barker from 1965 to 1972.

Jeremy’s twin Geoffrey and his father Charles Harold Corah (known as Harold”) also attended Barker - Geoffrey as a pupil from 1965 to 1973 and Mr Corah as a senior school Master between 1964 and 1975 teaching Commerce and Geography.

After leaving Barker Jeremy enjoyed working in a team at Telstra for over 30 years, whilst living in a flat in Hornsby. He never married and left no children.

Unfortunately Jeremy was diagnosed with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy in his early 20s. There is no treatment for this disease and it progressively attacks muscle groups – usually starting with the legs and arms.

Undeterred Jeremy was a keen photographer and travelled extensively in his early years –including to Central Australia and Africa. Eventually he was confined to an electric wheel-chair, spending the first half of his life on his feet and the second half in his wheelchair.

Jeremy didn’t complain and lived independently all of his life. He was fortunate to have a dedicated team of carers helping him on a daily basis. Given that the average life expectancy for someone with Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy is 47 years, Jeremy did extremely well to live well into his 66th year. He died from complications arising from pneumonia which he contracted not long after fighting off a COVID infection. He was strong (and quietly stubborn!).

Jeremy’s funeral was conducted by his school-friend Michael Hopkins – who is ordained in the Anglican Church and is currently the Vicar of the Anglican Parish of Jika Jika (near Melbourne). The funeral was also attended by Barker old-boys Jim Collier and Andy Crane.

Both of Jeremy’s parents predeceased him – his father aged 66 years and his mother aged 94 years. He is survived by his brother Geoffrey (aged 66) and sister Elizabeth (aged 70).

Geoff Corah (73)

Ian Ronald Harrison (72) 1954 - 2022

Following completion of 6th Form and the Higher School Certificate in 1972, Ian was indentured as an apprentice Plumber at Hodgson and Lee, Artarmon. Upon completion of his trade qualifications at North Sydney Technical College, Ian became a Licenced Plumber, Drainer and Gasfitter in 1977. A move to the Upper Hunter Valley saw Ian work on the construction of the then new Bayswater Power Station and to be later employed as plumber on the nearby Packer pastoral holding, Ellerston. Ian ran his own Plumbing company and lived in Scone, Aberdeen and Muswellbrook. He played rugby for Scone and began club sailing again on Lake Liddell, sailing a Hobie Cat.

Ian retired in 2014 after 17 years working for the Muswellbrook Shire Council, having been a licenced Plumber for almost 40 years. A keen caravaner he travelled extensively throughout Australia with his favourite Nissan Patrol ute and cat Angel, staying frequently on a farm at Sofala.

Ian attended Barker from 1967 to 1972. Born in Brisbane. Ian’s parents, (his father worked for British Petroleum - BP), were transferred from Brisbane to Melbourne where Ian attended Doncaster State School. A further BP company transfer saw the family move to Sydney in 1966 to reside in Roseville with Ian enrolled in 1st Form at Barker the following year. Ian represented Barker Rugby and was a senior member of the Cadet Unit under Major Ian Campbell, holding the rank of Warrant Officer First Class and the unit’s RSM, plus an Adventure Training Award to his credit.

The family were keen dinghy sailors which saw Sundays taken up travelling from Roseville to Bayview on Pittwater to race at their sailing club, BYRA.

Ian passed away peacefully in Bathurst Hospital aged 68, on 24 December 2022 after a very short illness. Ian is survived by his son Christopher and brother Paul (71) Sadly missed by family and friends throughout the Upper Hunter and Sofala districts.

Paul Harrison (71)

Kim Clancy Jackson (73) 1955-2022

Kim passed away suddenly without warning over the weekend of 4/5 November in Sydney, from Haemopericardium.

After spending some years in the NSW Public Service, Kim was awarded a disability pension, and went on the work in his parent’s light manufacturing business (C. C. Jackson P/L - die cutting forms) at Alexandria until its closure.

Kim was afflicted with a life-long intestinal issues, and the associated side-effects of medication, which resulted in multiple operations, both hip joints being replaced and planned shoulder joint surgery, all of which resulted in limited career, sporting and social opportunities.

Kim is survived by younger brother Mark (75) and elder brother Ian (71)

Mark Jackson (75)

George Desmond Wellesley (Des) Pain 1926 – 2023

‘about living life and helping our neighbours.’

Duty, adventure and love would define Des’s life. Des studied engineering at the University of Sydney and began his career at the Irrigation and Water Supply Commission of Queensland. Following a few years improving water supplies along stock routes, Des relocated to Newcastle for a job at the Hunter District Water Board. Newcastle may have been somewhat more cosmopolitan than the vast expanses of western Queensland, but his days in the outback would prove invaluable. It was thanks to a friend Des met sharing accommodation in Longreach that he would be introduced to a Newcastle family, who invited Des to a party early in 1951, where he would meet Nell Brian.

Des and Nell began courting; Des knew that he had found the love of his life. But Nell’s desire to pursue her career – having been one of the first women to graduate with a science degree from the University of Sydney – saw her initially decline Des’ proposal of marriage.

After returning to Australia, Des and Nell married in May 1956. They relocated to Cowra, where Des worked as the Council engineer, and a year later Nell gave birth to the first of four children. New roles followed in Wodonga and, in 1965, Canberra at the National Capital Development Commission, where he would rise to Chief Engineer. Des was a central figure during an era of significant expansion of Canberra, contributing to the construction of many new suburbs and even the High Court.

George ‘Des’ Pain attended Barker College from Year 2, in 1933, through to graduation in 1943. He was one of several Pain brothers to attend Barker, nicknamed ‘Mouse 3’, after his older brothers had earlier earned the moniker.

Des was a strong student, head prefect and an exceptional athlete – serving as captain of the First XI in cricket and vice captain of the First XV rugby team. His time at Barker would leave an enduring impression on him. As he wrote in a family history, ‘I cannot remember any time in my eleven years at Barker when I didn’t like going to school.’ He credited his education at Barker for many of the values he held dear throughout his life, particularly the influence of his Latin teacher, Mr Leslie or simply “the Boss”, who instilled in Des and his class-mates lessons

This did not deter Des, and when he heard that Nell was contemplating a trip to Europe, he decided he quite fancied the idea too. Des’s year in Europe in 1955 would leave a life-long legacy. Des and friends he made along the way travelled through England and continental Europe – touring in an old London taxi they had acquired for 30 pounds.

It was on this trip that Des’ pursuit of Nell came to fruition. Upon landing at Newcastle, England, following their drive around the continent, Des received a letter from Nell indicating that she had arrived in London. He swiftly travelled south and not long after, took Nell on an excursion to Oxford. While enjoying lunch on the lawn of one of Oxford’s picturesque parks, Des proposed a second time.

In the twilight of Des’ career, he combined work with travel – spending extensive time in Tanzania guiding the construction of its new purpose-built capital, Dodoma, and in China consulting for AusAid. As he transitioned into retirement, more travel followed –around Australia and the globe. Des was an active member of the community, particularly through Rotary, serving as president of both its Cowra and Woden branches. He also contributed to the Anglican church, instrumental in the construction of a new church in Curtin. He was passionate about woodwork, golf, photography and technology. Des organised many Barker class reunions and attended many Canberra dinners and OBA Seniors gatherings over the years. The passing of Nell in 2014 was a great blow to Des, following a loving marriage of almost six decades. But he showed great determination in adjusting to life without Nell, improving his cooking skills and cherishing the time he spent with his children and grandchildren. He passed away at a nursing home in Canberra, on the same day his father had died.

Des is survived by his daughters Susanna, Robyn and Kirsten, his daughter-in-law Wendy, and six grandchildren, Indi, Hamish, Kieran, Caitlin, Tara and Jemma.

Kieran Pender, (Grandson)

Saturday 16 September 2023

Alumni from the Classes of 2013, 2003, 1993, 1983, 1973 and 1963 are warmly invited to celebrate their milestone reunions at Barker College. This inaugural event is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with one another and see what has changed since your time at Barker.