They Shall Not Grow Old

 

As our group grows, we learn of the passing of our old Brat friends.

Here we would like to add the names of those friends

to keep them with us Always in name and Memory.

 

Heather Pennock  

~ 71-74, ANZ Services School,  Woodlands ~

Younger Sister of group member Gill Pennock

 

Wendy Hickey 

~ 74-76, std 4 -form 2, NZ Services School, Woodlands ~

Younger sister of Christine and Sue Hickey who are both members of our group.  Our group has many members who called Wendy their friend.

The following was sent in by Wendy's sister Chriss...

Wendy passed away on March 20 2001, at age 37 after a six month battle with breast cancer. She is the much loved mother of Danielle and Ben, two truly amazing kids. Her partner Chris is a great guy who has the ability to be a close friend as well as a parent to these two.

After leaving Singapore, Wendy went to school in Taupo, then New Plymouth, and returned to Taupo to have several businesses, one a children's clothes shop, another was a seafood/fish and chip shop and also worked for the local newspaper.  I can still see her driving around in that little red Italian sports car!!She also spent a short time living in Tauranga, but moved back to Taupo.

Wendy and Chris eventually bought more property in the Marlborough Sounds, and also in Havelock, and lived at both properties.  While living in Marlborough Sounds, Wendy home schooled the kids, resulting in Danielle being at Uni at a very young age and obtaining an architectural degree. Wendy worked at the Marlborough Express while living in Havelock.

Wendy revelled in her kids, they are both funny and bright, and a credit to their parents. She taught them to go for what they want, respect other people,and the only thing holding one back from life's experiences is yourself, certainly a creed she lived by.

Wendy has three sisters and two brothers, all but myself now live in New Zealand.

As you can understand, we were all devastated by what happened to Wendy, so we believe one has to live ones life to the fullest, as Wendy did.

 

Carolyn Mead  

~ 76-78, std 1- std, NZ Services School, Woodlands ~

a special mention here for Carolyn as she joined us here as a registered member at ANZ Military Brats of Singapore in 2003, and passed away not long after our Brisbane Reunion in 2004.  The Mead Family lived across the road from my Family (the Rendles) in Meng Suan Road, Nee Soon, so we caught the white school bus together daily and i would see Carolyn enjoying many days swimming at the pool at the Nee Soon Army Camp. Carolyn is remembered by my Sisters and I as a smiling and happy young girl. Her older Sister, Lisa, is also a member of our group.

 

Earl Barbarich  ~ 76-78, form 3-5, NZ Services School, Woodlands ~

Earl and his Family are fondly remembered my many of our brats and those who knew the family from other postings in New Zealand.  Earls Sister, Miriame, is a member of our group.

 

Tom Hunt   

~  Served in 1 RNZIR and other units for a total of seven years in Singapore and other parts of asia during the 70's and 80's~

Tom passed away in February, 2005.  He joined us as a registered member in 2002 and held a keen interest in our group,  always encouraging our good work with the site.  Tom's eldest son, Vivian, started school at NZ Force School, Sembawang.

 

Mr Murray Herbert  ~ Teaching Staff, ANZ Services School, Changi, 71,72,73,74 ~

see below to read a touching message from Miles Stanton about the lovely Mr Herbert

 

Mr Peter Bowler 

~ Teaching Staff, 78-80, NZ Services School, Woodlands ~

Mr Bowler taught Woodwork and Technical Drawing at the school and it was due to his vision that NZ Services School, Woodlands, was one of the first to allow girls to do woodwork and boys to do home economics.

Mr Bowler passed away in 1999 after a long battle with cancer, his son Todd has been a member of our group for many years.

   

Tony Teunissen

~ 70-72,  ANZ Service School, Changi and Selarang Primary ~

Brother of Ron,  Tony joined us in 2006 and sadly left this world in 2007 though he lives on in our dreams and memories of Singapore.

 

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Mr Murray Herbert  ~Teaching Staff, ANZ Services School, Changi, 71,72,73,74  

The following are the thoughts of Miles Stanton after Mr Herberts passing.

 

Over the past week I’ve been lucky enough to visit the town I lived in until I was 8, and the town I lived in when I was 13-15.  One was in Taranaki in NZ and the other was in Singapore. I made a special effort to visit both schools I attended - one was where I started school and the other was where I found out the real Miles - where my life began.

Both of these places have a connection to Mr. Murray Herbert. He lived most of his life in Taranaki and of course he taught me in Singapore.  I heard about his passing while I was in Taranaki probably only a few miles away from his home.

I am the product of great and dedicated people like Murray Herbert. This doesn’t mean I am good or bad, just better for having had the benefit of his tutelage. That said, there is no one who had a more positive impact on my scholastic career - and so by definition no one who had more to do with making me a better person.

I was a little odd (some may say I still am). I lacked confidence but I had half a brain and a huge amount of bravado. Every teacher I had thought I was a plonker but didn’t try to change me because I passed exams. Murray was very different. He gained my respect one day  because he was so damned PROUD.  He loved his job and I’m not sure any other of my teachers did - not like him, He had my respect immediately and he knew it, from there he started to teach me.  He praised me - still something that gives me an inner glow because I wanted so much to receive his praise. He steered me, never erratically but with his goal in mind. He made me want to learn but most importantly he made me want to do my best because he expected nothing less of me. And why? Because these were his own personal standards - he expected nothing less of himself and made me want to emulate this self-pride.

He taught me English.  I was good at other subjects but I excelled in English for years because Mr. Herbert expected me to and I couldn’t let him down. 

It’s easy to be sad and regretful when someone who has had a large impact in your life passes.  Personally I am neither. Great teachers and great leaders have the fact in common that they secure their future everyday that they are alive by putting their values into the next generation.

He knew this and I am certain that to he took great comfort from the fact that he had changed people's lives.  I am certain he took pride in the fact that some part of him was inside probably thousands of young people that he had taught.

And how lucky were we!!!!  

 We had two bites at the cherry. We were all privileged that he and Marilyn were able to come to our reunion in Sydney. Imagine how he must of felt - he dedicates his whole life to making sensible and sound adults and here he was amongst some of them 35 years later. He would have been proud of the adults he helped mould.

 But there was something else about Sydney that Murray cherished. While he, too, had fond memories of Singapore, and probably of all the students he had taught, he was totally overwhelmed at the enthusiasm and affection he received from the Brats.

He stayed at my home over that weekend - like many people of his generation he was guarded with his emotions. But for a minute over a glass of wine he expressed to me his surprise and joy (my words) at how his guidance 35 years ago had had such a positive impact on so many people.

Murray hasn’t been well, I think, for some time. While I can’t say for sure I am certain in my mind that his time with us in Sydney in 2005 gave him great satisfaction. 

Was he a great man? For everyone else in the world, probably not. For me? YES

He taught me values such as pride and confidence.

These values have helped me all my life and as such a part of Murray Herbert is alive and well inside me, I will in turn pass these values on to my children, and so on.

If you multiply this by all of the people Murray touched, you will see that he is alive and well all over the world.

Don’t mourn his passing, celebrate his life and all of the lives to which he has contributed.

R.I.P

Murray Herbert (1944 – 2006)

“…….we shall not forget them”