Harold George Mackrell OAM
26-1-1924 – 1-4-2012
Harold George Mackrell OAM died
peacefully on Sunday 1st April, 2012. He leaves a legacy of
community service, strengthened international bonds and remarkable friendships.
He will be remembered with deep affection by the many overseas students to whom
he was mentor and friend.
His life of public service involved him in both
political and social spheres; he served as Mayor of Fitzroy City Council. He
was active in the Australia Asia Association, St Luke’s Anglican Church,
Friends of Merri Creek, Fitzroy Historical Society and Fitzroy Bowling Club.
A scholarship for Indigenous
students is to be established at the University of Melbourne in his name. In
accordance with Harold’s wishes there will be no public memorial or funeral
service and in lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Sunrise
Children’s Villages.
The Mackrell family mourns the loss of
Harold, brother-in-law, cousin, uncle and family elder.
Harold was held in deep
affection by his close and extended family for his kindness, humour and the
depth of his generosity and affection. He was a loving son and a fun companion
to his cousin Evelyn in childhood; devoted to his sister Shirley and
brother Roy their children Mark and Fiona and his wider family.
He
accepted everyone with equal generosity, to our family he introduced wayfarers,
the lost and lonely, eminent politicians and war heroes, high ranking
international government ministers, intellectual and spiritual giants and gave
us loving friends.
It is typical of him that he gave everything of himself to
the extent that he has donated his body to medical science and wanted no
funeral or memorial service.
He enriched our lives and gave us a model of
a truly good man. It was a privilege for all of us to be related to him.
We will all grieve his passing, he will be deeply missed by family:
sister-in-law Marie Mackrell, nephew Mark Skelton, niece Fiona Mackrell,
grandnieces Ella Bentley-Skelton and Charlotte Hutson, cousin Evelyn Smedje and
family.
The family wishes to sincerely
thank the special friends who maintained their visits and contacts with Harold
over the last two years, Bai Ming, Lia Yin, Anna Hooi and Bob Sims for their
devotion, and the management and staff of Westgarth Aged Care Facility for
their dedication and compassion.
