Mark Paul

I thought when I lost my father I couldn't of gone through a worst day, but then I was wrong... I was so very wrong.

Mark passed away peacefully late on friday night following a short battle with cancer, we were all hoping for at least seven to ten years but it wasn't to come. I have felt heartache before but for some reason this was harder, so now I had to say goodbye to my most loved Brother... But how.

Mark was 60 years old and in a very short time he was about to retire from BHP/CSC, where he worked for over forty years. I'm still angry that he never had the chance to feel that laid back lifestyle, that you can only appreciate if your retired.

Every now and again I would receive a phone call from Mark telling me he was going to be in Perth for work, any chance of getting together? Is the Pope Catholic! All we had to do was decide which pub we would meet up, the last time we got together it was The Ascot racecourse.

Now anybody who knew Mark knew that him and racehorses go hand in hand, come to think of it Trots and Dish lickers also go hand in hand with him. Well anything he can lay a bet on come to think of it, he also gave me a tip that keeps on giving even now, he told me that when I'm at Ascot always bet on WILLIAM PIKE in the last race, which of cause didn't come in that day so we had a laugh instead. But since then when yours truly remembers I always have a dollar on Pike, and fairdinkum I've done pretty well thanks to Mark.

Then after the races we caught a train into Perth town and hit a Chinese restaurant for some grouse tucker, and then off into the Mustang Bar where we drank some bourbons and bugger the ice. As usual we sat around just chatting and listening to some great music, with the footy on in the background, all the ingredients for a great night... good company, good mate, good times... I'm going to miss those days so much.

Mark's family must be devastated at their loss I can't even imagine what they must be going through, to his most loved wife Judy my heart goes out to her, Jacob & Riley, Jarrad, Ben & Pooja I hope somehow you can draw something good out of all this loss.

The one thing I do know is that those kids knew exactly how Mark felt of them, when ever we chattered the first thing out of his mouth was something about his kids. Either Jacob was making a super computer in his unit for work over in Amsterdam, or something about Ben working in the emergency ward or his own indiana Jones Jarrad digging up stuff in Bosnia or Turkey. Actually I'm going to miss the stories I heard of Jarrad's second family in Turkey.

This photo is of the jetty where Marks ashes were scattered the night before, and isn't it just the most peaceful place you could ever ask for. That morning we all said our final goodbyes to Mark and as we did two beautiful black swans swam by, you could feel that Mark and Dad's spirits just passed us by. Well Dad's ashes are at the back of Saint Joseph's which incidentally looks down on Kilaben Bay, so you could always say Dad's just keeping an eye on his boy...

'I know I have to say goodbye to you my brother towards the sky

But how do you find those words to say when it tears you up inside

Already I miss the phone calls and the times to pass a chat

I know I will just say those words and time will have to bide'

Goodbye Markos