John Quinn 24th February 1939 – 3rd February 2025 Class of 1956
It is with deep sadness The Marist Brother’s Rosalie Old Boys’ Association advise of the passing of their friend and College Old Boy, John Quinn who passed into eternal life on 3rd. February 2025.
John spent his early life growing up in Ross Street, Petrie Terrace then Charteris Street, Paddington. John and Caroline raised their family firstly in Everton Park followed by Gordon Park. Caroline predeceased John in 2019. John is survived by his son John (Junior), daughter Kirbie and their partners and Grandchildren.
School Years
John was educated at Marist College, Rosalie and was first enrolled in Year 4 in 1948. His brother Terry was also educated at the school and was a cohort of the 1962 year. John was a proud “Rosa” Old Boy and involved in many activities from school plays, to being a choir member and playing sport.
John was elated that he was honoured at The Marist Sport’s Day where he was presented a medallion for being a member of The Rosalie “Mighty Midgets” Rugby League Team who were joint premiers. John was educated in the original wooden primary school in Fernberg Road and from 1949 in the new modern brick building that is still standing today. John finished his education at “Rosa 1956. Most likely John’s would have had three College Principals while at the school. First would have been Br. Gilbertus Burgess followed by Br. Regis Daly and finally the legendary Br. Cyprian Dowd who was serving his second term as Head of college.
Work Years
After completing his education at “Rosa” John went to work in the Weather Bureau, later renamed to the Bureau of Meteorology.
During that time, John made a life changing decision that this position did not have a great future for a man raising a family, so he decided to do further study and eventually graduated from University in Accounting, gaining CPA status.
John then joined the Brisbane City Council and attained the important position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In that position John became a senior executive in the council, managing their finances. He was responsible for their financial health. This was a high-ranking financial position reporting directly to the Lord Mayor. John served under several Mayors throughout his 43-year career.
Service Details
Family and friends of John are invited to attend the celebration of John’s life at the following venue: –
Venue: Nudgee Cemetery St. Vincent’s Road NUDGEE
Date: Wednesday 12th February 2025
Time: 10.00am
R.I.P. John Quinn
Richard Rosenstengel: 25th February 1926 – 30th January 2025
Class Cohort Circa. 1947
It is with deep sadness The Marist Brother’s Rosalie Old Boys’ Association advise of the passing of their most senior Old Boy and friend, Richard Rosenstengel who passed into eternal life on 30th. January 2025.
Richard spent his time growing up in Amarina Avenue, Ashgrove and from 1969 resided in West Chermside where he lived with his wife Patricia and raised his two boys, Andrew and Brendan. Richard’s wife Patricia predeceased him in 2014. Richard is survived by his sons Andrew and Brendan, their wives and his four grandchildren. Richard never forgot his Marist roots and his boys were educated at Marcellin College, Enoggera (now Mt. Maria) and one of his grandsons will soon be commencing at Marist College, Ashgrove.
Work Years
After completing his education at “Rosa” Richard went to work in his at his uncle’s furniture manufacturing business in New Farm before joining THE CBA where he stayed for forty years. His uncle was the famous Ed Rosenstengel, who made high-class quality furniture much of it from silky oak. Rosensentengel Furniture is still much sought after and can be quite an expensive collectable. Displayed below is a photograph of the staff working at the furniture factory which might include Richard as a very young man.
School Years
Richard was educated in the original wooden primary school in Fernberg Road (pictured below). Richard finished his education in his later primary years, approximately 1938; This would have been the era following the Great Depression where global unemployment reached the heights of 25% of the work force.
Most likely Richard’s Principal at Rosalie would have been either Brother Osmund Rice, the founding Principal of the college, or the Legendry Br. Cyprian Dowd who served two terms at Rosalie and one at Marist Ashgrove.
Work Years
After completing his education at “Rosa” Richard went to work in his at his uncle’s furniture manufacturing business in New Farm before joining THE CBA where he stayed for forty years. His uncle was the famous Ed Rosenstengel, who made high-class quality furniture much of it from silky oak. Rosensentengel Furniture is still much sought after and can be quite an expensive collectable. Displayed below is a photograph of the staff working at the furniture factory which might include Richard as a very young man.
To view the quality of Rosenstengel Furniture click here.
Marist Rosalie Old Boys
In 2023 Tom Quain an Old boy of Marist College Ashgrove invited Richard to attend a Marist Vintage lunch at the college at Ashgrove.
Richard was quite the celebrity. It was established at that time he was the oldest surviving Marist Old Boy from any Marist School in Queensland.
He was sadly missed from the lunch at the 2024 event and will be in the future. We invited Richard to attend but unfortunately, he did not feel up to it on the day.
Service Details
Family and friends of Richard are invited to attend the celebration of Richard’s life at the following venue: –
Church: St. Gerard Majella 146 Maundrell Terrace WEST CHERMSIDE
Date: Friday 7th. February 2025 Time: 10.30am
R.I.P.
Richard Rosenstengel
Barry Charles Brown: 19 May 1940 - 12 September 2024
Barry Charles Brown of the Senior Year of 1958 left us on 12th September 2024. The funeral was held on Wednesday 25th September.
The Order of Service is attached herewith. It was attended by myself, Brian Hallam and
Michael Victor A.M. from Brownie’s class.
He had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Brownie was a good student and obtained a Fellowship following Senior choosing Dentistry.
Following graduation, the government put him and another fellow who became a great friend, in two railway carriages, one a dental surgery, the other accommodation for the lads. This was an innovation serving to blood the nouveau dentists and to provide dental health to people in outback towns not served by a dentist. It was particularly valuable for bush kids. Later
Brownie became interested in orthodontics and did a Master’s degree in orthodontics which was a new field at the time.
He and his dentist wife Marilyn established practices in Sydney and Albury where they worked exceedingly hard for several years before returning to Brisbane to live in Payne Road at The Gap. They produced four children just one of whom became a dentist. The youngest, Vanessa, first did engineering becoming a coastal engineer working in the shifting sands field and then changed her course and did a PhD in orthodontics. Hec Macdonald was also a coastal engineer.
Academically, Brownie was Dux, but he was an even better sportsman. Peter Dawson was in the year below us, but Brownie was an all-rounder similarly endowed with the ability to excel at anything. He played in the 1st XV and 1st XI for three years making the TAS teams for at least two years in each. He won the 50m freestyle event at the TAS Swimming Carnival at the Valley pool in 1958. He swam all his life. He was a “Wahoo” of the Wahoo Swimming Club. A Wahoo is a striped mackerel that can swim at 80 km/hour. He played B grade tennis only because he was too nice a bloke to challenge for a spot in the As which he surely would have obtained.
Brownie and school captain Mark Lynch both told Brother Cyprian that his Latin course was not for them, under any circumstances whatsoever. Cyp later demoted him from Cadet Under Officer to Private after he and Bernie Kelly were caught smoking in the dunny next to the Q-store. Didn’t worry Brownie. Brownie played A grade rugby for University and at one stage obtained a Qld Red jersey and toured NZ with that side. He resisted well-meant advice from myself that he was a better cricketer than he was a rugger player and should change his sport to the gentleman’s game.
There were too many dental students in the UQ rugger side at the time and he wanted to knock about with them. So, my advice went begging. Even so, Ashgrove’s Bernie Knapp sent this to me on 6th May 2017; it’s an extract from Ashgrove’s magazine “Blue and Gold” of 1958. I think Brownie made his debut on 27th. April 1963 for the Qld. Rugby Team.
Bernie Knapp wrote the following which was printed in Ashgrove’s Blue and Gold as mentioned above.
“Look what I found in the 1958 “Blue and Gold” Report of First XI Cricket…I was surprised to note that Ash were Premiers! Interesting team members included Paff, Barros, Ken Craven and Knapp. There is a most generous reference to a particular game that should interest you and Barry. The last game of the first round proved to be a thriller. Rosalie batted first and were saved by a fine 43 by O’Sullivan. In a bright innings, they made 92. Ashgrove started well but later collapsed under Brown’s accurate bowling. With two runs needed to win, Paul Coote hit a four and went out two balls later with the final score at 96. Please pass this on to BB. See you both soon. Let me know when you both are available“. Bernie
Rest in peace Barry!
Grahame Thomas Purtell - Class of 1963
It is with heavy heart that the Marist Brothers Rosalie Old Boys, advise of the sad passing of a greatly admired and well-liked Old Boy Grahame Purtell – (originally of Bardon) on Thursday 8 August 2024.
Grahame had suffered from the effects of skin cancer. Grahame is survived by his loving wife Pam and their children and grandchildren, and younger brother Brian.
Grahame graduated from Marist Brothers College – Rosalie in the Senior Class of 1963.
He was a fine sportsman who represented the College in the first XV in 1963, playing in the position of Hooker.
Grahame was also a fine Rugby League player with Wests Club. His father Tom Purtell was a long time President of Wests Rugby League Club and the redeveloped Club grounds at Lorward Avenue, Barden, Purtell Park, were named in honour of Tom Purtell.
After graduating from “Rosalie” Grahame joined the Health Department of the Queensland Government. He enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks of the Public Service and his intelligence, calm approach and communication skills saw Grahame widely respected and praised from many sectors of Queensland society.
Among Grahame’s greatest friends throughout life were fellow “Old Boys Bardon residents Vic Boudette and Bill Harvey who gave him the nickname of “puddle”.
A life well lived!
Dr. John Gerard Flynn
Late of Algester.
Former MLA Toowoomba North.
Passed away, 27th February 2024. Aged 70 years.
It is with deep sadness The Marist Brother’s Rosalie Old Boys’ Association advise of the passing of fellow Old Boy and friend, John Flynn, late of Algester who passed into eternal life on 27th. February 2024.
John, beloved husband of Kelyn. Adored father and father- in-law to Tom & Hamimah, Julia and Daniel. Poppy to Imran. Loved Brother, brother-in-law and uncle to Pat (d); Michael (d) & Winnie, Darren, Graeme & Jennifer, and families. Brother-in-law and uncle to Marie, Mia, and family.
Early Life
John was born in Brisbane, the son of John Joseph Flynn, a postman, and Kathleen Josephine, née De Hayr. He attended convent school at Rosalie and then Marist Brothers College Rosalie finishing at the College in 1970, before studying at the University of Queensland from 1971 to 1982, receiving a Bachelor of Science (Honours, 1975) and a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (Honours). He married Kelyn Ann Blanch, a teacher, on 5 January 1975. From 1976 to 1977 he was a biochemistry tutor at the university, and from 1978 to 1982 a part-time analytical biochemist at Royal Brisbane Hospital. In 1983 he was appointed medical officer at the Royal Brisbane and Royal Children’s Hospitals, before becoming a private general practitioner in Toowoomba in 1985.
Service Details
Family and friends of John are invited to attend Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 359 Given Terrace, Paddington, on Thursday, 14th March 2024, at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Royal Flying Doctors Service are appreciated.
R.I.P.
JOHN FLYNN