Patrick Wallace - 1962

Patrick Wallace of 1962 batch has passed away.

The following was sent by Sir. Mr. Lobo.

December 24, 2012

My friend Patrick… Rest in Peace (Goethals 1962)

My friend Patrick Wallace passed away this morning in Melbourne after a battle with cancer which lasted for about a year and a half. My deepest sympathies go out to his wife Lynn, son Jonathan and daughter Rebecca.

Patrick was part of the wonderful Wallace family of Kurseong. His brothers were Jimmy, Sydney and Bruce and his sisters were Cynthia, Dolly (who taught at Goethals), Kate and Alice.

In 1962, Patrick wrote in my Autograph Book:

Remember Johnsie and bear in mind,

A good friend is hard to find,

But if you find one good and true,

Don’t change the old one for the new.

A pal always

Patrick (W)

Those lines sum-up the core of my dear friend over all these years… I saw him as loyal, consistent and uncomplicated… with true ‘solid’ values… ‘straight up and down’ with a very good ‘bull-shit monitor’… a person who did his job and could always be relied on …

Patrick’s loving family were always by his side and they faced his illness as a close knit team. The whole Wallace clan were also there with him for every part of his painful journey. They are truly a great family and he was part of that team.

In school Patrick and I were friends. After school we were very good friends… in Calcutta. Tony Gasper (GMS ’62), Patrick and I shared many special moments at Nizam’s, frequenting our haunts in the New Market and going to those Sunday 10.30 am pictures at the Elite, Lighthouse, Globe or New Empire. Eugene (Rebeiro GMS 1962) was Patrick’s closest friend and also part of that group. We used to exercise and box together in his flat in Bentinck Street. We also played a lot of carroms. He was a champion. I taught with Patrick at St. Mary’s Orphanage in Dum Dum in around 1967/68. Our families migrated to Australia in 1969/1970 and our friendship continued.

I visited Patrick at his beautiful home in Sunbury. When he was unwell I found him to be inspirational. He accepted his cancer with grace and vowed to do all he and his family could do to ‘live with it’.

Recently he said, “… you know Richard, I don’t feel angry that this has happened to me… I don’t ask why me? Because I know it could be anyone… it just happens to be me…”. That blew me away. That’s the definition of courage. Try saying that when you have cancer, I thought…

‘Do All things Well’,

that’s our Motto,

‘Do it with a grin….’

My friend Patrick didn’t just sing that… he DID it…v Rest in peace dear Patrick…

Richard Johnson

PS: Pictures attached:

Autograph Book page

Patrick (right) and me

Bruce (GMS 1965), Sydney (GMS 1960), Peter Lardner (GMS 61), Patrick (GMS 1962), Eugene (GMS 1962), me (GMS 1963, in the picture taken by Eugene)