OBITUARIES Over 2019, the Australian Association mourned the loss of five members. We record the life stories of those members: Barry O’Callaghan AO KCSG KMG, Professor Ivan Shearer AM KMG, Dr Waldemar Hugon Niemotko KMG, Richard Tracey AM RDF QC KMG and Dr Robert Britten-Jones AO KMG.
Confrère Barry David O’Callaghan AO KCSG, Knight of Magistral Grace, was a man of humility, and a mentor who selflessly shared his experience, his judgment and his wisdom. He would advise that faith, family and friends were the non-negotiables in life, a life he shared for 58 years with his wife Claire and five children, Sally, Jenny, Fiona, David and Megan, sons and daughter-inlaw, and 14 grandchildren. Barry attended St Joan of Arc Primary school in Brighton, Kostka Hall junior school, then Xavier College senior school between 1948 and 1954. He went on to study law at Melbourne University and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1960, New South Wales in 1964, Western Australia and South Australia in 1989, and to the High and Federal courts in 1960. In 1960, Barry began as a lawyer with then Corr and Corr, now Corrs, Chambers and Westgarth. He became partner at the age of just 23, with his principal area of specialisation in commercial practice and expertise in strategy, planning, construction and joint ventures. Barry remained at Corrs for a further 42 years. He was managing partner for several years and described by his colleagues as “the glue of the firm”. He retired in 2002, and remained a consultant, rounding out a 50-year career at Corrs. He taught and inspired generations of lawyers both within the firm and throughout the wider legal and business community. Barry’s service to Xavier College, his alma mater, has been devoted and constant. Barry was a recipient of the Xaverian Award for deep commitment to the ideals of St Ignatius of Loyola and a dedication to serve and make a difference in the wider community. He demonstrated compassion, competence and conscience. Barry was appointed the inaugural chair of the Xavier College School Council in 1993 and held that position until his retirement in 2001. Governance, stewardship and leadership were hallmarks of Barry’s expertise. He was a board member of many commercial organisations, serving as a 72
Image credit: Xavier College
BARRY DAVID O’CALLAGHAN AO KCSG KMG (1936 – 2019)
Director on boards of the Linfox Group from 1987 to 2001, Hudson Conway from 1987 to 2000, Downer EDI board and Chairman from 1997 to 2003, the RMIT Graduate School of Business from 1995 to 1998, the Committee for Melbourne from 1992 to 1995, Selpam Group from 1992, and the Melbourne Catholic Diocesan Finance Council from 1998. Barry also served the Catholic Church, charitable, educational and not-for-profit organisations. This included a significant contribution to Mercy Health and Aged Care from its incorporation in 1996, where he served as Chairman from 2000 until his retirement from its board in 2008. Others included the John Pierce Centre for Deaf and Impaired People and the Catholic Homes for the Elderly from 1992 to 1996. Barry was honoured as an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday jubilee year honours in 2002 for his services to the community as a consultant, adviser and board member of health, aged care, religious and educational institutions in Victoria. Barry was awarded a papal knighthood in 2005, and has been a Knight of the Order of Malta for more than 25 years.
Barry gave his time and expertise freely and graciously, and gave sound advice and touched so many, evident by the 2000-strong crowd of people who came to Requiem Mass at Xavier College Chapel to pay their respects on 26 September 2019. Archbishops Denis Hart and Peter Comensoli were in attendance. Barry’s family was his proudest achievement. He encouraged and supported his children at school, and then continued to offer his support, advice and encouragement to his grandchildren. But, of course, he was so ably supported by his best friend, wife and his own personal mentor, Claire. Their marriage was and remains one of strength, love, versatility, compassion, admiration and respect, but underpinning all these, their strong and binding faith. Their beliefs and values are the backbone of who they are together and how they lived life by example. We are sure that Barry would want to be remembered as a person of the highest integrity cemented in an unwavering faith and profound love of his wife Claire, their children and grandchildren. Rarely do you meet a person so steeped in Jesuit values, a man for and with others. Compiled by close and long-standing friend Julien O’Connell, AM. 2019 Australian Hospitaller
