Alec's Farewell

I would like to say a few words on behalf of the Jimbour Crew (we are the folk who worked along side Al and were lucky enough to be able to spend time with him on a daily basis whilst he was at Jimbour). Then I will hand over to Michael Laurence who was one of Al’s mentors in the flying fraternity – then I think someone from the gliding club has something to present to Al.

What a beautiful soul Alec was and was so many things to many people – the word UNIQUE comes to mind – at most funerals of a 71 y/o you would expect to have family and close friends – 50 people or so – I’m not sure of how many people are here today, but there is way more than 50 which of course is a tribute to Al and the kind of person he was.

I remember Mum pulling me aside not long after we moved to Jimbour and telling me that I will be meeting a Mr Russell – he will be a little different than what you have been used to, but he has a heart of gold and you will watch your manners. And of course I met Mr Russell and in no time at all he became Al and part of our family and it has been that way till now – going on 48 yrs.

You know Al was a fortunate man in so many ways – yes he was dealt an ordinary hand of cards at a young age, but he had a family that was able to give him the support and confidence to succeed in life, but equally as important he had a community that supported him. He was accepted by all with few questions asked and became a part of so many families in the community – you know what I reckon we were the lucky ones. Taking nothing away from Al himself – he worked very hard – particularly on his flying and was able to achieve results that most of us would only dream about. We have had many comments on Face book responding to Al’s passing – there has been literally hundreds – far too many to read out, but there is one that I would like to share with you. It is a text sent to me by a local who organizes Cocktails For A Cure at Jimbour and I think it sums up Al in his home environment to a tee. “I have just heard the terrible news of Alec’s passing, and I want to express my deepest condolences to you all.

Alec was a wonderful man who had the most unique qualities. He brought a certain flare to Jimbour and he will be greatly missed by all. I know I will miss seeing him wandering around having a chat to everyone. Thinking of you all at this sad time.” Beer O’clock was almost a ritual when Al was home – not that he drank much, but he really enjoyed the comradery and interaction, particularly with the people he felt comfortable with – the Jimbour Crew. A few of us were fortunate enough to have a beer with him the evening before he died – how lucky are we – and that infectious laugh that we all became so familiar with. In closing – there is one thing of which I am absolutely certain – and that is if we all had more of Alec Russell’s traits this crazy world of ours would be a much better place to live in. It is going to take us a while to get used to the fact that Al won’t be joining us for smoko, lunch or Beer O’Clock. He is and will be missed - R.I.P. MATE.

This is not sorrow: this is work. For today we build a memorial in words and thoughts for our friend and brother Charles Wilfred Alexander Russell – Alec as he was almost universally known – who left us at his much loved Jimbour on 19 December last.

Alec’s great love – reflected in the final page of his Order of Service – was flight.

So it is appropriate that this service, like the funeral service for his father Charles, is held here in St John’s Church in Dalby. For one of the symbols of St John, reflected in one of the windows Alec Anna Ian and I contributed to this Church in his grandparents’ and parents’ memory, is the Eagle. It is the King of birds: the only bird which can fly directly into the full light of the sun, and which flies higher than all others.

This church, which played so central a part in Alec's life, was named for St John. Alec heard the word of God proclaimed from this lectern on countless occasions as part of the parish community. As it is in this his final Service.

Whilst each of the four windows was dedicated to a particular family member for his or her individual characteristics, it is remarkable how each of them reflects also an aspect of Alec’s life and character.

The first, dedicated to Alec’s grandfather, reminds us of the parable of the talents. This parable tells us not only the value of clear judgment and strategic insight, but also that the true measure of a man is not the gifts he is given, but also the persistence displayed in developing those gifts, and the integrity of purpose applied in doing so.

Not applicable to Alec’s grandfather but very much so to Alec was the truth that perhaps the greatest of all the talents is to start from unpromising beginnings and despite them achieve substantially. Those who knew Alec when the photograph at the front of the Order of Service was taken, and later when he wrote about his dreams in the paper reproduced on the last page, might well have been forgiven for thinking his aspirations were unlikely to be met. That they were speaks eloquently of the courage and persistence Alec applied to this task – a task which resulted in 8131 registered flying hours as pilot in command of powered flight and over 3,000 gliding flights.

The second, dedicated to Alec’s grandmother, references the story of Ruth. Ruth’s dedication to her family at great personal expense was reflected in Alec’s grandmother’s move to Dalby, her assistance to her husband in the restoration of Jimbour, and her subsequent devotion to her daughter Joan lasting until her death.

Upon our father’s death in 1977, it was Alec who remained with our mother at Jimbour, providing solace and care until, 20 years later, she was compelled to leave for health reasons. But, like Ruth, Alec contributed to the great work of the restoration of Jimbour both then and after under the watchful eye, and valued friendship, of master craftsman Gino Sandrin. Jimbour today is testament to the lasting care and devotion Alec applied to that task.

The third, for Alec’s father, I have already mentioned in the context of St John’s association with flight. But St John’s other association, again highly relevant for his father but less so for Alec, was with the Word and, in that sense, communication.

One only needs to look at the photograph at the front of the Order of Service to see just how much love Alec transparently possessed, and sought to express. Where words were not available, gestures and other forms of sharing took their place. And despite the frustrations this must from time to time have caused, neither Anna, nor Ian, nor I ever heard him complain.

The fourth window, for Alec’s mother, recalls the third word from the Cross, as recounted in St John’s Gospel.

This statement is traditionally called "The Word of Relationship""; and in it Jesus entrusts Mary , his mother, into the care of" the disciple whom Jesus loved “ showing Jesus'; humanity and the depth of love he had for his mother and the disciple into whose care he entrusted her. More generally it draws attention to the importance of human relationships, caring and responsibility.

The size of today’s congregation makes a far better statement of the strength of Alec’s relationships than any words of mine could accomplish. Mentioning names in such a context inevitably carries with it the risk of omission, for which I apologise in advance, but the family remembers with particular gratitude: Alec’s colleagues in the self-proclaimed “Jimbour crew”; The members of the Darling Downs Soaring Club, who had planned shortly to present Alec with a trophy for his 3000 gliding flights and will now instead display it in their club house; and The members of his Christian fellowhip in this parish.

Of all the things which defined Alec, in many ways the most important to him was his love of flight. He kept his pilot’s log books from the very first entry to the last, 3 years ago, at Heathrow.

Gliding is totally different to powered flight which largely nowadays represents a way of getting from point A to point B. I have an enduring memory of my flight with Alec above McCaffrey’s Field. It was almost eerily silent and seemingly unhurried, creating a rare opportunity for reflection and a sense of liberation.

Let us then remember Alec, in his final journey beyond the clouds, in the words of John Magee’s High Flight: Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air... Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark or even eagle flew -- And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

I’m Alec’s big sister, and David is his oldest little brother. Alec is our second sibling to die. It was so unexpected we are still coming to terms with it. As a family, we have loved and looked out for Alec, learned from him and recognised the unique person he was. But I want to acknowledge today the many people outside his family who were such an important part of his life.
Nothing is more unique about Al than his goodness, gentleness and respect - and the way he brought this out in others. He has had more mentors and good friends than anyone I know. You may not know all of them because they are very diverse - and some are whole communities, like the congregation of this church. My apologies for omissions – you get your chance to speak in the hall later. It became obvious that Al had special needs from about 18 months. He began to withdraw into his own world. He didn’t speak. It took years to discover he wasn’t actually deaf. Medical advice at the time both here and overseas was that nothing could be done and he should be put in an institution.
So my first acknowledgement is to our Dad who was determined to back his son despite the doctors’ advice. Al was around 18 when I first heard a doctor mention autism. Dad backed Cath McCarthy, who performed the miracle you see in the photo on the front of the order of service – an open-hearted son who knew and loved his father, and who at the age of 12, wrote his own future (on the back of the order of service)- and then made it come true. Cath McCarthy was a woman of faith, love and hope – and extraordinary gifts of communication and treatment. She proved the doctors wrong. They acknowledged it - but showed no interest in her methods of treatment. I still feel astonished and angry about that reaction.
Now early intervention programs are a standard treatment - but some parents of autistic children still struggle to find and pay for them, even with the NDIS. So Al was one of the lucky ones back then, having dedicated parents with resources, a skilled teacher and mainstream schooling. His friends John Hegarty and Jeremy Healy were among his defenders in the school yard at De La Salle and have remained friends ever since. Dad was a flying instructor in the war. He always said Al had good hands on a plane, “gentle like a stockman” and encouraged Al to practice. He found Frank Woodfall who schooled Al to get his private pilot’s licence. This huge achievement enabled Al to have a career as the Russell Pastoral Company pilot, and thus a central role in the family business. He went on to get an instrument rating for night flying.
Dad died when Al was just 30 and two marvellous mentors stepped in. The first was Dick Condon, who took over management of the family business, and became a devoted father-figure to Al over many years. Calm, wise and thoughtful – a very good man. His wife Marj was a lifelong friend to Al and his I’m so happy that family connection has continued with their grand-daughter Kate who is here today with her family.

Al flew with Dick as the company pilot for many years. He already knew many of the managers from when he jackarooed after school. Robert Morrish was one of these. Al became close to his family and they were in regular contact for the rest of Al’s life. Dick Condon died many years ago now and Al has been lucky to find a wise financial/ life advisor and caring friend in Richard McGruther.
Al’s second major mentor was Barry Hempel, a very experienced pilot who ran a flying school at Archerfield. He welcomed Al into his extended family - first Margaret, his former wife and business partner, and later his wife Melanie and their children Natalie and Aaron. Al went on regular holidays with Barry and his family including to the Philippines, north Queensland and central Australia. The most spectacular was when Barry included Al in a team of pilots to fly an Antinov from Poland.
Barry died in a plane accident but Al remained very close to the Hempel family and watched Natalie and Aaron grow up, mostly through visits to Margaret Hempel. The day he died, Al was about to drive down to have Christmas with Margaret and her family and friends. I’m glad that Margaret and other members of her family could be here today. Dad knew members of the gliders club at McCaffreys Field from back in WW2. He introduced Al to them and he flew regularly for the rest of his life. I remember my earlier visits with Al, sitting around in the pie cart, him reaching to respond to radio messages – completely part of the team.
Al’s life in the Dalby community and beyond has been a tribute both to him, and the large number of people who have cared for and respected him. That’s something we can be really proud of. It shows the goodness both of Al himself and of his community. There’s the Dalby congregation. First I heard from Al was about the men’s group at the church. I did not get any details of that secret men’s business - and neither I should – but I was impressed! It grew into Al becoming a member of the congregation enjoying the excellent morning teas and always, I’m told, helping with the wiping up afterwards. More locally, he was a regular with Kate and Annette at Pips n Cherries in Bell. Visiting Dalby with Al, you find he’s introducing you so many of his friends like Brooksie as you go down the street.
Then there’s the Jimbour Crew, which is code for Al’s dedicated support group at Jimbour. For me the Jimbour Crew started with Jock and Irene Lewis back in the 60s. This was when Al moved back to Jimbour from jackarooing out west. They defended and unconditionally accepted him through the hard work of becoming an adult.
Gino Sandrin worked on Jimbour house with Al for many years. For Al he was always “Gino the Italian plasterer”. You’ll see a couple of lovely slides of those times. After Dad died, Gino found Al a role as an apprentice in the restoration of the house. He gave Al a certificate for all the skills he learned, which has kept pride of place in Al’s bedroom ever since. James and Elizabeth Sages, Bob Burwood and Tony Madigan have been great friends. Beer o’clock with Tony was the highlight of Al’s day for many years. If Butze Costales came on a painting job, it was the first thing Al would tell me on the phone. Butze is currently overseas, but we’re glad that his partner Lisa could make it today.

A constant through that time has been Karl Graham and more recently Sandra Hanson, both very kind, astute and sensitive to Al’s needs. In their complementary ways, they have truely loved and cared for him.
Smokos – and gardening - would not be the same for Al without the Jimbour Gardens crew. He’s one of the crew on their Jimbour Gardens FB page, introduced by them as A word from Alec Russell, Pack Controller. Al wrote
If I get a chance I like mowing the airstrip. Also dead heading the cannas and the daisies. I like XXXX gold, but best of all I enjoy our smokos. Come and ask me about the history if you see me in the garden.
Pack Controller - a good description of Al’s role in our family. Of all his siblings, Al had a unique combination of roles - from getting his hands dirty in the Jimbour Gardens or the stockyards to the bird’s eye view he had of the Russell properties in his role as pilot, and as the custodian of Jimbour House.
Al has made an enormous contribution to the family legacy.
More than this, Al is the heart of this family and our concerns. He made his life in the community of friends and family gathered here today, and I know he opened his heart to you as you welcomed him with respect and affection.
Thank you Al for all you have achieved, and for how you have brought out the best in people all your life.