It is my sad duty to info everyone that Steve passed away suddenly last Monday.

Stephen joined Nirimba in Jan 67 as part of the 22nd Intake and was a Naval Shipwright.

His partner Madeleine emailed me the following:

Brian,

Am sending this email to let you know that Stephen passed away very suddenly on Monday. Am completely devastated and struggling with all the formalities. Have lots of family support but it is very hard. The funeral will be on Thursday 5th Nov at 11.00am at Mollymook SLSC so Stephen can be looking out to sea. It will not be a religious ceremony but hopefully a celebration of his life and the wonderful person he was.

Could you please pass the news on to the rest of the gang.

There will be funeral notices in the Canberra Times and local Bega and Ulladulla papers, also Brisbane Courier Mail.

It would help me if you could email me a brief synopsis of Stephen's navy life and any stories that we could include in the eulogy.

I will check my emails morning and night.

Madeleine


RIP Steve and rest your oars.

If anyone has any stories about serving with Steve in the fleet, establishments and sporting arenas, that will help Madeleine, please post them here or PM them to me and I will pass them on.

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).

VALE Steve... Another MOBI taken too young... Rest on your oars, Matey, your journey's done...

_________________

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

Rest on your oars Steve. Remember you from Nirimba as an excellent Rugby player. A bloody big winger. My condolences to your family.

_________________
Barry Davis
R43379
Ex-LCDR SDENME-Submarines
22nd MOBI intake
Jan 67 to Nov 88
RANATE, Sydney, Melbourne, Waterhen, Watson, Carpentaria (UK), Melbourne,Orion, Otama, Onslow, Platypus, Kuttabul(CODOCK)

Stand down, Steve.
Vale.

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

I've received some more info as to what happened to Steve.

He had suffered a fatal heart attack.

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).

Vale Steve, fair winds and smooth seas. Another taken far too young.

_________________
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.

Such a sad thing to see....... Vale Steve, and my sincere condolences to your family and friends.

_________________

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!

RIP Steve. Another one gone too young.

_________________
Kevin Rasmus
ex LCDR (P)
R43433 / O43433
22nd MOBI Intake
Jan 67 to July 87
Nirimba, Cerberus, Leewin, Albatross, Melbourne, VC 851, VS816, Waratah, RAAF East Sale, Point Cook, Pearce, Edinburgh, 292 and 11 sqns.

Steve was one term ahead of me at Nirimba.
It's so sad to hear that another of that term has crossed the bar.
RIP Steve
Smooth seas and you wont be forgotten by your fellow mobis

_________________
Peter Sneddon
R95971
Ex CPOMTH4
18th JR Intake
23rd MOBI Intake
Jan 67 to July 91
Leeuwin, Nirimba, Sydney, Perth, FMP-W, Stuart, Penguin/Ships Divers course, Stuart, Lonsdale, Melbourne, Kuttabul, Cerberus, Stuart, Swan, Nirimba/ Q course, Cerberus, CPSO-M

Jerry Marsden and Greg McTernan have announced that they will be attending, in uniform with medals, at Steve's funeral.

Jerry has also offered to say the Naval Ode during Steve's service.

To which Madeleine and families have accepted, and the Naval Ode will be included in the service booklet.

That will be a nice tribute.

_________________
Brian Carney
R43371
Ex-WOMTP5
22nd Mobi Intake
Jan 67 - Jan 89
RANATE, Sydney, Swan, Creswell, Stalwart (FMU), Cerberus, Derwent, Nirimba, Parramatta, Nirimba, FHQ (FMMO).