Individual Details
Michael Fredrick "Mick" O'BRIEN
(26 Sep 1921 - 21 Sep 2010)
2004, Mick has an aneurysm as well as a hip and knee replacement, severe arthritis in his right foot and anxiety turns.
Sandra and Irene's eulogy for Mick:
EULOGY OF MICHAEL FREDERICK O'BRIEN
26-9-1921 TO 21-9-2010
Michael Frederick O'Brien, known as Mick, was born in Rockhampton on the 26th September, 1921. He was the first child for his parents, Michael and Alice, who later welcomed Veronica who passed away as a young child, then Patricia, Eris, Fay and Brian. Mick's dad was a waterside worker and his mother a hotel domestic and later a cook.
Mick's schooling years were at the Star of the Sea Catholic School and he attended from years one to five. His leisure activities included fishing and crabbing and he played hockey and competed in push bike racing in his teens.
Around 11 years of age he left school and commenced working as a paper delivery boy for P M Jones Newsagency. Whilst employed in this job he suffered a bad accident riding his bike into a drain on Auckland Hill. The severe head trauma he sustained required him to spend several months in hospital.
About 15 years of age Mick commenced at Swift's Meatworks, Parsons Point, where he worked in various departments from gut house through to the boning room. In the kill off season he worked many casual jobs - a forestry worker at the Kalpower State Forest near Monto, a line maintenance worker for Queensland Railways and several others.
Mick loved dancing and was an excellent dancer. He spent many weekends riding to Rockhampton on his pushbike, stopping at Mt Larcom for the Friday night dance, continuing onto Rockhampton for the Saturday night dance and then cycling back to Gladstone on the Sunday.
In the interim years, his future wife Gladys moved to Gladstone in 1942 with her family. At that time Mick was overseas serving as a leading aircraftsman with the Australian Airforce in duty between 19th November 1942 and 15th September 1945.
Gladys was friends with Mick's sister Eris, and she met him on his return from war. Three months after meeting her, Mick proposed but Gladys made him wait 5 years. They were married at the Rockhampton Courthouse on the 8th September 1950, recently celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
In late 1948 Mick commenced building their first home at 277 Auckland Street assisted by Gladys. When they first moved in it still wasn't completed, but at least it had a floor, four walls and a roof.
In 1956 Mick commence building a second home, a holiday shack in Coral Street, Tannum Sands.
Seeking permanent employment they moved to Brisbane in 1957, where Mick was employed as a car detailer with GMH. After 5 months both became homesick and moved back to Gladstone. He returned to work at Swift's Meatworks.
In March 1960 their first daughter, Sandra, was born.
In late 1960 again seeking permanent employment Mick took a position with a carrying business in Rockhampton and moved his family there. Disappointingly due to a credit squeeze Mick was laid off by the company. As they had leased their home in Auckland Street, on returning to Gladstone they moved their caravan into Gladys' parent's yard in Glenlyon Street.
Things were a bit cramped and with their second child on the way, in mid 1961 they moved to the Tannum Beach house and in November that year, their second daughter, Irene, was born. While living at Tannum Mick worked for Smith's Groceries and later Murphy Ores test drilling throughout the Gladstone Region.
In 1961 they moved back to living in the caravan and sold
both Coral Street and Auckland Street homes and purchased land at 12 Scenery Street. In early 1963, Mick commenced building the current family home and they moved into it in October 1963, even though the house was semi built Mick gradually finished it.
In early 1963 Mick gained employment with the Gladstone Harbour Board as a labourer and then moving into the position of truck driver. His main job was carting fill for land reclamation. The area reclaimed stretches from Memorial Park through to the Power Station and the Marina. He also worked on developing the site for the Glen Drive In. While a truck driver he was the union delegate for the Transport Union.
He was involved for many years with the Harbour Board Easter Procession Float. On one occasion while transporting the Easter Bunny Float to Monto, the Bunny decided to take flight off the trailer and landed in a nearby paddock.
In May 1964, they welcome their third daughter, Vicki.
Mick was a loving family man and a great father teaching his girls about fishing and camping. He took us all on great holidays each year.
In 1983 Mick was involved in a work truck accident and through the injury was on compensation for 12 months. The severity of his back pain finally forced him to retire in September 1984. He had worked at the Harbour Board for 21 years.
In 1985 a blood clot caused Mick to have a heart attack and sadly caused much damage to his heart.
On retiring Mick took an interest in Rock Collecting and joined the Gladstone Gem Club. Mick and Gladys also enjoyed several years travelling around Australia in their caravan.
For many years after the truck accident the Doctors were treating him for a bad back but 20 years later it was discovered that he had a shattered hip. Mick received a hip replacement at Greenslopes Hospital in Brisbane in 2003. Sadly he had lived so many years with undiagnosed pain.
Though blessed with three daughters, Mick was rewarded with five grandsons - Brett, Scott, Matthew, Nathan and Joseph.
In April 2006 a fall at home dramatically affected his life. During the night he overbalanced and in the fall broke his hip bone. An operation and a pin and plate did not help him regain his former life. The displacement of the pin and plate started Mick's health downhill slide.
Gladys nursed him for four years but four months ago, needing high dependency care he was moved into the nursing home. Sadly Mick couldn't adjust to this and the decline of health was severely affecting his outlook on life.
Mick was a great talker and on many occasions had Mum concerned when he took a lot of time getting home when he went up the main street to the newsagency. He always found someone he could talk to.
He had a phenomenal memory and several times assisted Pamela Whitlock and Lynn Lees of the Gladstone Museum in identifying people and places in old photos.
Mick will be sadly missed by his family and friends.
Rest in Peace, Dad.
Sandra and Irene's eulogy for Mick:
EULOGY OF MICHAEL FREDERICK O'BRIEN
26-9-1921 TO 21-9-2010
Michael Frederick O'Brien, known as Mick, was born in Rockhampton on the 26th September, 1921. He was the first child for his parents, Michael and Alice, who later welcomed Veronica who passed away as a young child, then Patricia, Eris, Fay and Brian. Mick's dad was a waterside worker and his mother a hotel domestic and later a cook.
Mick's schooling years were at the Star of the Sea Catholic School and he attended from years one to five. His leisure activities included fishing and crabbing and he played hockey and competed in push bike racing in his teens.
Around 11 years of age he left school and commenced working as a paper delivery boy for P M Jones Newsagency. Whilst employed in this job he suffered a bad accident riding his bike into a drain on Auckland Hill. The severe head trauma he sustained required him to spend several months in hospital.
About 15 years of age Mick commenced at Swift's Meatworks, Parsons Point, where he worked in various departments from gut house through to the boning room. In the kill off season he worked many casual jobs - a forestry worker at the Kalpower State Forest near Monto, a line maintenance worker for Queensland Railways and several others.
Mick loved dancing and was an excellent dancer. He spent many weekends riding to Rockhampton on his pushbike, stopping at Mt Larcom for the Friday night dance, continuing onto Rockhampton for the Saturday night dance and then cycling back to Gladstone on the Sunday.
In the interim years, his future wife Gladys moved to Gladstone in 1942 with her family. At that time Mick was overseas serving as a leading aircraftsman with the Australian Airforce in duty between 19th November 1942 and 15th September 1945.
Gladys was friends with Mick's sister Eris, and she met him on his return from war. Three months after meeting her, Mick proposed but Gladys made him wait 5 years. They were married at the Rockhampton Courthouse on the 8th September 1950, recently celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
In late 1948 Mick commenced building their first home at 277 Auckland Street assisted by Gladys. When they first moved in it still wasn't completed, but at least it had a floor, four walls and a roof.
In 1956 Mick commence building a second home, a holiday shack in Coral Street, Tannum Sands.
Seeking permanent employment they moved to Brisbane in 1957, where Mick was employed as a car detailer with GMH. After 5 months both became homesick and moved back to Gladstone. He returned to work at Swift's Meatworks.
In March 1960 their first daughter, Sandra, was born.
In late 1960 again seeking permanent employment Mick took a position with a carrying business in Rockhampton and moved his family there. Disappointingly due to a credit squeeze Mick was laid off by the company. As they had leased their home in Auckland Street, on returning to Gladstone they moved their caravan into Gladys' parent's yard in Glenlyon Street.
Things were a bit cramped and with their second child on the way, in mid 1961 they moved to the Tannum Beach house and in November that year, their second daughter, Irene, was born. While living at Tannum Mick worked for Smith's Groceries and later Murphy Ores test drilling throughout the Gladstone Region.
In 1961 they moved back to living in the caravan and sold
both Coral Street and Auckland Street homes and purchased land at 12 Scenery Street. In early 1963, Mick commenced building the current family home and they moved into it in October 1963, even though the house was semi built Mick gradually finished it.
In early 1963 Mick gained employment with the Gladstone Harbour Board as a labourer and then moving into the position of truck driver. His main job was carting fill for land reclamation. The area reclaimed stretches from Memorial Park through to the Power Station and the Marina. He also worked on developing the site for the Glen Drive In. While a truck driver he was the union delegate for the Transport Union.
He was involved for many years with the Harbour Board Easter Procession Float. On one occasion while transporting the Easter Bunny Float to Monto, the Bunny decided to take flight off the trailer and landed in a nearby paddock.
In May 1964, they welcome their third daughter, Vicki.
Mick was a loving family man and a great father teaching his girls about fishing and camping. He took us all on great holidays each year.
In 1983 Mick was involved in a work truck accident and through the injury was on compensation for 12 months. The severity of his back pain finally forced him to retire in September 1984. He had worked at the Harbour Board for 21 years.
In 1985 a blood clot caused Mick to have a heart attack and sadly caused much damage to his heart.
On retiring Mick took an interest in Rock Collecting and joined the Gladstone Gem Club. Mick and Gladys also enjoyed several years travelling around Australia in their caravan.
For many years after the truck accident the Doctors were treating him for a bad back but 20 years later it was discovered that he had a shattered hip. Mick received a hip replacement at Greenslopes Hospital in Brisbane in 2003. Sadly he had lived so many years with undiagnosed pain.
Though blessed with three daughters, Mick was rewarded with five grandsons - Brett, Scott, Matthew, Nathan and Joseph.
In April 2006 a fall at home dramatically affected his life. During the night he overbalanced and in the fall broke his hip bone. An operation and a pin and plate did not help him regain his former life. The displacement of the pin and plate started Mick's health downhill slide.
Gladys nursed him for four years but four months ago, needing high dependency care he was moved into the nursing home. Sadly Mick couldn't adjust to this and the decline of health was severely affecting his outlook on life.
Mick was a great talker and on many occasions had Mum concerned when he took a lot of time getting home when he went up the main street to the newsagency. He always found someone he could talk to.
He had a phenomenal memory and several times assisted Pamela Whitlock and Lynn Lees of the Gladstone Museum in identifying people and places in old photos.
Mick will be sadly missed by his family and friends.
Rest in Peace, Dad.
Events
| Birth | 26 Sep 1921 | Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia |  | ||
| Marriage | 8 Sep 1950 | Rockhampton Queensland, Australia - Living | |||
| Death | 21 Sep 2010 | Gladstone, Queensland, Australia | |||
| Burial | 27 Sep 2010 | Gladstone, Queensland, Australia |
Families
| Spouse | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Living |
| Father | Michael John (Jerry) O'BRIEN (1891 - ) |
| Mother | Alice Louisa PEDERSEN (1900 - 1982) |
| Sibling | Living |
| Sibling | Living |