An obituary has been prepared by Monsignor John Boyle to honour the life of beloved Castle Hill parishioner, Terence (Terry) Julian O’Mara (1942-2025).
Obituary
Terry O’Mara, a prominent member of the Castle Hill Parish, and a survivor of the 1977 Granville Train Disaster, recently died surrounded by his family.
His funeral was celebrated at St Bernadette’s Church, Castle Hill, on Friday, 11 July. Father Thomas Stevens, the Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Parish, Mortlake, led the service, along with the Rev Dean Drayton of the Uniting Church. Monsignor Brian Rayner and Monsignor John Boyle were in attendance.
Terry was born in Waverley in 1942. After leaving school at 15, he began his studies in social work and joined the NSW Department of Communities and Justice. He studied law at night and became a barrister so that he might build up relationships with families and communities to ensure children and young people were well cared for.
Terry had a special interest in Aboriginal culture and worked closely with Aboriginal communities.
He worked in many roles across the then Department of Community Services and prior to leaving was the assistant director-general. Terry then moved to Anglicare where he was the General Manager of Diocesan Services.
In 1966 Terry O’Mara married Lorraine Maureen Chesher at St Therese’s Church, Lakemba.
In January 1977 he survived the Granville Train Disaster, Australia’s worst rail disaster, when a packed train crashed into a stanchion holding up the Bold Street overpass, which collapsed onto the train, killing 84 passengers, including an unborn child.
Terry was able to help fellow passengers escape further danger and was awarded a medal for outstanding service in helping distressed survivors.
He later spoke of his luck at emerging from a carriage that split in two with just a bruise on his backside and a crushed packet of Lifesavers in his pocket after waking up lying on another passenger on what was the ceiling of the train.
Terry had been an acolyte at Castle Hill and at one time was Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council. He served in the army reserve, was awarded the Australian Defence Medal, became President of Castle Hill Rotary and was instrumental in founding the Castle Hill Men’s Shed, of which he later became Patron.
In 2007, he was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) for service to the community through public sector organisations and Anglicare in the areas of emergency management, disaster recovery and the provision of welfare services.
The first reading at the funeral came from the Prophet Micah (6; 6-8): “and what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God?” – a leitmotiv of his Christian ministry and life.
Terry is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lorraine, and children Julian and Alexandra. A daughter, Claire pre-deceased him.
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Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
