↓ SECTION 04 —THE MAIL ROOM
1942
Dr Edwin Sydney Crawcour (FB’42) was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for distinguished service to higher education, particularly to Asian and Pacific studies and languages, as an academic and administrator, and to Australia-Japan trade and cultural relations. Sydney was Head of Far Eastern History at the Australian National University (ANU) from 1970-80 and was Acting Director of ANU’s Australia-Japan Research Centre from 1982-83. He was Professor of the University of Singapore’s Department of Japanese Studies from 1984-85, a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University’s Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, Senior Associate in Melbourne University’s Department of Japanese and Chinese Studies from 1990-99 and President of Monash University’s Japanese Studies Centre from 1996-97. He received the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government in 1986. Sydney is the father of Michael Crawcour (FB’74).
1950
Malcolm William Alastair Brodie (M’50), who was born on 24 October 1932 and died on 8 February 2015 after a brief fight with liver cancer, was a man of intelligence and wit who had little regard for egos or political correctness. His bluff and bravado thinly veiled a hugely generous and loving family man. Malcolm was married to wife Janet for nearly 53 years. Together they had two daughters, Min (Alexandra) and Kate, who married Ian Darling (P79) and Roderic O’Connor (P’74) respectively, with grandchildren Adelaide Darling (Cl’13), Pip Rofe (Cl’13), Emma Darling (Cl’15), Indi Rofe (Cl’15), Sophie Darling (Yr10 Cl) and Lachlan O’Connor (Yr8 Bb) all attending the School. Malcolm had been sent down to Corio from Glamorgan in 1939 at the age of seven because of the outbreak of war. He often talked about “tough days” at the “Corio Bay Polytechnic” but survived the cold showers and food rationing to gain excellent marks and a scholarship to Melbourne University, where he graduated as a Bachelor of Commerce. He found his calling in stockbroking and spent 40 years at E.L. & C. Baillieu, one of the oldest stockbroking firms in Melbourne, where he was known for his individual character. His favourite haunt was the Melbourne Club and his interests were wide and varied, but he had a particular love of history. He relished conversations about 19th and 20th Century history and never stopped feeding anyone listening with interesting tidbits of information gleaned from a lifetime of inquiry.
1956
Timothy George MacKinnon Keach (M’56), who was born on the 20 June 1938 and died on 11 April 2016, was a family man and a farmer who managed the family property Bluegong, an impressive integrated farm nestled under the Western Tiers near Cressy in Tasmania, for nearly 40 years. Tim grew up on the family farm with older brother Tony (M’51) before attending GGS, where he was among the first group of 35 students to attend Timbertop in 1953. He represented the School in Cross Country and was a member of the team that won the Two-Mile Relay at the 1955 APS Combined Sports, finishing only one-fifth of a second outside Scotch College’s Public School record. Consequently, Tim was one of five Geelong Grammarians selected to carry the Olympic torch along the Geelong Road on its
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way to the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. He spent two years as a jackeroo on the Gubbins’s family farm at Coolana at Chatsworth before returning to Tasmania, managing Bluegong until 1994, when he handed over to son Anthony (M’82). Tim was very good with machinery, inventing a round bale hay feeder which was manufactured commercially, and held various positions with Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, as well as serving as a councillor on the Northern Midlands Council and as Fire Chief for Poatina. Tim and his wife Veronica had two children, Anthony and Alexandra Kelso, with grandchildren Hamish Kelso (M’09), Zara Kelso (EM’11), Edward Keach (M’14), Harry Keach (Yr12 M) and Tom Keach.
1956
Janice McGowan (Evans, He’56) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for service to the community through social welfare organisations.
1961
Sue Henry (Vedmore, He’61) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for service to the community of Warrnambool. Sue has spent many years volunteering with Anglicare, co-ordinating the Warrnambool drop-in centre for homeless, disadvantaged and single parent families. She is also a life member of the South West Access Network (renamed Mpower), which supports people with disabilities, has served as President of the Anglican Women’s Guild for the diocese of Ballarat and is a founding trustee of the Vedmore Foundation philanthropic trust.
Michael Landale (P’61) was remembered at the presentation of the Michael Landale Memorial Award, which has been given to the 1st XI Cricket captain every year since Michael’s death from cancer in 1996. Michael captained the 1st XI to a premiership in 1961; the School's first in more than three decades. He was also Senior Prefect in 1961 and went on to a distinguished career as a diplomat, joining the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1971 and serving in Singapore, Geneva and London, before being appointed Australia's High Commissioner in Jamaica in 1984 and Ambassador to Iran in 1988. This year’s award was presented by Michael’s sisters to Lucien Bienvenu (Yr12 A) in the Hawker Library on April 20, before the 1st XVIII Football team’s opening round match against Brighton Grammar School.
1969
Graham Morphett (FB'69) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for service to primary industry and to the community of Western New South Wales. Graham is the father of Tony (FB’00), Clementine (Ga’03), Peter (FB’07) and Will (FB’10). LIGHT BLUE - GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL