3 minute read
Vale
URSULA MURRAY
19 May 1925 – 9 October 2021
More senior members of the Association would know of Ursula Murray of Mackay, who was the widow of MPAQ Life Member Don Murray.
Born in Augathella, Ursula began working for the PostmasterGeneral’s Department (PMG) in Brisbane when she met then later married Don Murray, a promising young plumber working for JR Wylie & Sons Pty Ltd.
In 1945 Don was transferred to Cairns, then in 1954 was asked to be manager of the new branch at Mackay with Ursula looking after the office administration. Don remained manager until the IXL takeover in 1981.
Ironically, Ursula’s sister Ivy married Bill Cullum who worked for Wyllie’s in Townsville.
In 1964 the first MPAQ State Conference was held in Mackay because of the organisational abilities of Don and Ursula Murray. This was relayed to me by my late father who was President that year. The Conference was heralded as an outstanding success, which provided the catalyst for many more to follow. They also helped organise another State Conference on South Mole Island in 1972, which was highly praised by the President Brian McGrath.
In the community, Ursula was involved with Toastmasters, Rotaryannes, and Mater Hospital, as well as Secretary of the Mackay National Party Branch for thirty-one years and the Dawson Branch for twenty-one years. Two former Federal Members for Dawson, Ray Braithwaite and De-Anne Kelly, with current Member George Christenson, were in attendance at her funeral.
The Association extends sympathy to Ursula’s daughter, Paula, and her family.
RAYMOND SPRING
18 November 1933 – 13 October 2021
Ray Spring grew up on a dairy farm at Archerfield, now a densely populated industrial and residential suburb of Brisbane. This gave him his strong work ethic and ability to see an opportunity when one arose.
After marrying Dorothy, he built a home on Granard Road, Archerfield, and in 1967 he commenced his plumbing business RT & DM Spring Pty Ltd, working from their home until the 1974 flood covered the home and persuaded him to move to Underwood on the southern outskirts of Brisbane.
Ray joined Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland on 11 December 1973, and the company is still a member today 48 years later. He built up a sizeable business carrying out plumbing, drainage, and roofing in the oil industry for Mobil and BP service stations all over Queensland, industrial and commercial buildings, retirement villages, and anything else that came his way.
In 1990, Ray and Dorothy decided to retire and on 1 July 1990 they set off around Australia in a new campervan. Their son Peter and his wife Hanna took over the reins and still run the business today with twenty-five employees. They have also had both sons, Aaron and Shaun, complete their apprenticeships and have now taken up management roles in the business with the view to continuing into the future. This made Ray very proud.
As Ray had joined the National Service for a time when he was eighteen, he later took a strong interest in War Veterans affairs. In the late 1990s he was one of the founders of the National Servicemen’s Association and served as Queensland President. He served on the Brisbane Anzac Day Committee and was Patron of the RAAF Association. Ray also lobbied government to recognise those servicemen who had been affected by atomic testing. He also became President of the South Eastern District of RSL Queensland and was instrumental in the organisation of the ANZAC Day march in Brisbane city for many years.
