It is my sad duty, and I am deeply, deeply saddened to inform you all that one of nature's absolute gentlemen has let go all lines and crossed the bar for the final time.

Vince passed away peacefully on 24th July, and according to the death notice in yesterday's Sydney Morning Herald by Caring Funerals he was privately cremated.

For all Shipwrights, there has always been Vince Fazio. A more caring man I have never met.

We are much poorer for his passing.

Vale Vince, may you always have smooth, calm seas, dolphins to play in your wake, and the warm sun to make you comfortable.

...and perhaps a cold drink or two.

_________________

Chris O'Keefe
R43136
Ex WO Chippy
19th MOBI Intake
July 65 to July 85
HMAS Nirimba X 4 -Penguin-Sydney-Queenborough - Creswell - Moreton - Stalwart - Platypus - Coonawarra Reconstruction Team 76 - Platypus - Hobart - Cerberus - FHQ - Coonawarra.

Anyone can be ordinary. Shipwrights choose to be extraordinary!

Another one gone too soon. Vale Vince.

Never had the opportunity to meet Vince but I have seen a number of facets of his untiring effort supporting the RAN and its personnel. Every day I enter the foyer and see the model of HMAS WATERHEN that he built and, towards the end, donated to the base of its namesake. Vale and thank you Lieutenant Vince Fazio.

_________________
Brian Mackenzie
ex-Shipwright Instructor
Oct '88 to Dec '93 (NIRIMBA) before and beyond

Sad news. Rest on your oars Vince. It's a pity that we couldn't pay our respects.

_________________
Steve Shepherd
R43062
Ex-CPOMTH3
18th MOBI Intake
Jan 65 to Jan 78
Nirimba,Sydney,Vampire,Tarangau,Albatross, Stalwart,Creswell.

Rest in peace Vince. As Chris has said, Vince was a wonderful man and to me he will always be the father of the Shipwright branch in the RAN.

I last saw him at RANSA a few years ago soon after he had donated $500 to the yacht when we needed funds and he was looking quite frail then. He was always there for his beloved Chippy's and even though he had a really good innings, Friday was a very sad day indeed.

_________________

John Kelly (WEBMASTER)
R42620
Ex-WOMTH
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'83
Nirimba x3 - Rushcutter - Sydney x2 (Carrier) - Melbourne (Carrier) - Penguin - Kuttabul - Creswell x3 - Stalwart x2 - Brisbane.

I will always remember Vince as a true gentleman One of my best stories. I drafted into Nirimba 1968 as an ABME went down to see Vince and had explain that I had no uniforms as the Cloak Room at Central Station Staff were on strike and would not hand over my kit bag He said not to worry gave me his keys to his Green Mini to go and get it from the station that afternoon I fronted Captain as an ABME and walked out an A/NS2 and under the wing of Vince and Charlie Liones

Rest in peace Vince you have done your self proud with the legacies you have left here

Viv

_________________
Viv MacLeod
R65148
Morran(March 66)
ME(D)-DENS-WOMTH4
1966 to 1986
Cerberus,Duchess,Waterhen,Hawk,Nirimba, Melbourne,Torrens,Perth, Leeuwin,Stalwart,Stirling,Kutabul

Very sad news, as was said "One of Natures Gentlemen" he will be missed.

Rest your oars old chippie your work is done

_________________
Henry Schubert
R42972
Ex WOMTH
17th MOBI Intake
July 64 - July 85
Nirimba x 2, Sydney, Lonsdale x 3, Tarangau, Melbourne, Coonawarra, Kuttabul, Stalwart, Jervis Bay, Penguin, Tonga Defence Cooperation, Cerberus Hobart, Harman.

I'm truly saddened to learn today of the passing of one of nature's true gentlemen, and as far as Shipwright Officers go, arguably the most
respected and well liked of them all... For me, it was all about Vince's generous support of our efforts with The MOBI Yacht 'Nirimba'...

Any attempt by me to encapsulate Vince's career and life achievements would be inadequate, so I will leave that to those more intimately
familiar with them, but his pioneering of Shipwright Training at RANATE, championing of the construction of yacht MOBI as the ultimate
Chippy test job, were only the start of his achievements, going on to author numerous books on Naval Warships and later heading up the
Naval Historic Society... a legend in his own lifetime, he truly left his mark.

Chapter 6 of 'Skilled Hands at Sea' - 'Shipwright Branch Training' (uploaded to our RAN SH Library, accessed under 'Links' Panel on the
left of the Forum Page,) tells us that Vince was in fact the FIRST Shipwright Officer at HMAS Nirimba, while Chapter 26 is about Vince's
recollections of his involvement with 'Yacht Nirimba'... (Both worthy of revisiting for another read...)


Pictured here with fellow 'legendary' Chippy, Ian 'Fritz' Hansen, Vince was on hand to welcome The MOBI Yacht 'Nirimba' and her Crew
back to RANSA on 5th December 2005.

VALE - Rest on your oars, Vince, your journey is done... You will be sorely missed...

Click here for Vince's Funeral Notice... Click here to view/ sign Vince's Memorial Guest Book...

_________________

Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane

Gone too soon. Vale Vince, RIP.

_________________
Mike (Pony) Moore
O42860
Ex-LT GLEN(ME)
16th MOBI intake
Jan 64 - Jul 88.
Anzac, Nirimba, Stalwart, Moresby, Creswell, Waterhen, Penguin, Vampire, GMGID (PJP), Coonawarra, Attack, Ardent, Cook, Kuttabull, Cerberus.

May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility.

Click here for Vince's Funeral Notice... Click here to view/ sign Vince's Online Memorial Guest Book...

Dear All,

It is with much regret that I forward the news of Vince’s passing. He was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life.

I shipped with Vince in the aircraft carrier MELBOURNE where he was the Shipwright Officer and I a watch-keeping Engineer Officer.

Our cabins were next door to each other. He had many stories to tell and all were tinged with humour.

He will be missed by many.

Yours aye

Bob Mummery

_________________

Rick Pengilly
WEBMASTER
Ex-CPOMTH3
R42630
13th MOBI Intake
July'62 to July'74
HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Melbourne - HMAS Cerberus - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Lonsdale - HMAS Tarangau - HMAS Nirimba - HMAS Brisbane