Obituary. A fond farewell to Terrence Reid

Bourke has lost on its great characters with the passing of Terry Reid at Dareton on 23rd January 2019.

Fondly known as “The Pink Panther”, Terry was an artist, entertainer, musician and broadcaster. He was the one of 8 children born to prominent Aboriginal leader – Pastor Bill Reid and his wife Marjorie Reid (nee Smith) of Bourke.

Terry was born at Bourke District Hospital on 19th November 1958.

He contracted polio just after birth and had to be regularly treated at the Royal Far West Children’s Health facilities at Manly.

As his parent Bill and Marjorie could not afford the trip to Manly every second week, Terrence was taken in by Silvia Cassey at North Epping, where he attended school, received his treatment and returned home during school holidays on the mail plane.

The whole family would go to the aerodrome on a Sunday evening on the back of Brother Frank Faulkner’s truck – a truck that worked as a fruit truck during the week, and a Sunday School pick-up truck on Sundays.

Terrence was a “posh speaking” 11 year old when he returned to Bourke, where he found it hard to cope and settle back into Bourke life.

He finally re-settled because of the love and attention of his Mum and Dad, and the love of his brothers and sisters – William (Billy Boy), Elenor (Jessie), Beverley (Raina), Elizabeth, June (Rose), Brian and Alva.

Terrence built model planes and loved drawing cartoons characters. He went to Bourke High School where he made many friends and endeared himself to all who knew him.

Read more in the printed edition of the Western Herald.