Marks eulogy
The death occurred on the 8th June 2011 of Mark Anthony McDonnell of Tumbarumba and formally of Tumblong via Gundagai. Mark was involved in a car accident on the 2nd May on the Batlow Rd and was transported by helicopter to St George Hospital Sydney with 3 neck fractures plus skull, rib and facial fractures. Mark who had an existing heart disease had been waiting on a heart transplant for the past 10 months. Mark initially made good progress following the accident and although having spent time in both the Intensive Care and the High Dependency Units of St George Hospital he had been transferred to a trauma ward were full recovery was expected. However Mark developed Pneumonia and his condition deteriorated and following a week long battle Mark suffered multiple organ failure and passed away with family by his side. Marks funeral was held on the 16th June at St Patricks Church Gundagai and interment took place at Tumblong Cemetery. Over 800 people attended the funeral a testament to Marks popularity and happy go lucky nature. Speaking at the funeral were Marks wife Julie Giddings-McDonnell, his nephew Ted McDonnell, old school friend Mark Carmichael and good friends Bruce McFawn and Stu Barclay. A slide show of photos was shown of Marks life a wonderful reminder to everyone present that Marks life was full of love and fun even though he had many years of ill health and ill fate.
Mark Anthony McDonnell was born on the 21st August 1960 at Calvary Hospital Wagga, the 6th son of Sid and Agnes and a younger brother to Jim, Jack, Neil, Phil and Paul.
Mark was born with a hole in the heart but by the time he turned 6 it had closed but heart problems would plague him for the rest of his life.
Mark was home schooled through 1st & 2nd Class and he then attended St Josephs School in Adelong 3rd to 6th Class (1966 – 1972).
Mark attended and boarded at St Patricks Goulburn (1973 – 1978) and was the 4th member of the family to do so. Mark’s only academic interest was the Agriculture course as he only ever saw himself working on the farm with Sid and Jim. While Mark was not the scholar, at everything else at St Pats he did well. He was Fitzgerald House Captain. He loved the Cadets and attained the rank of Cadet Under Officer. Mark was also the fourth McDonnell to play in the 1st XV and he also played in the 1st XI cricket team (even though he was the first to admit that Cricket wasn’t really his go and he only did it to get out of Saturday morning study).
It was during this period that Marks capacity to befriend people came to the fore and he built many friendships that would last him the rest of his life.
After St Pats, Mark moved home and worked on the farm beside Sid and Jim. In 1983 the crowning achievement of his football career occurred when the mighty Tigers won the Group 9 grand final.
Mark married Cate Lott in 1984 and had three children Thomas, Emma and David.
In the early 90’s things were tough on the land as drought conditions covered much of NSW, wool wasn’t worth anything and interest rates were driving farmers off the land. To make ends meet Mark went out shearing during the week and worked on the farm on the weekends. The longer and harder that Mark worked the worse his health became. In 1994 Mark met Julie Giddings Mark was a shearer and Julie a wool classer. They formed a strong partnership and continued to farm at Glenavon Tumblong and Mark became step dad to James, Daniel and Kayla. It was during this time that Mark took to footy coaching and over a number of years coached numerous rugby league teams for Gundagai Tigers and the Adelong-Batlow Bears. In 1998 he suffered serious injuries when he was thrown from a bolting horse and was flown to Sydney after suffering serious injuries including 9 fractured ribs, broken shoulder and a punctured lung. In a coma for a number of weeks and having a tracheotomy he was hospitalised for over a month. After Mark left the hospital he struggled to make ends meet on the farm. Mark was a man for schemes and at this time he hatched the scheme that hydroponics could save the farm. Unfortunately the local police did not like his choice of crop and for 3 months Mark was the guest of Her Majesty in Bathurst. Even though Mark was very worried through this period, he could still be heard upon his release saying how he had met good blokes on the inside.
His heart problem had returned and it became enlarged. Mark had open heart surgery in 1999 where a section was taken out of his heart to reduce its size and the mitral valve was replaced.
In 2001 Mark sold “Glenavon” and purchased “Wollongawah” at Paddys River via Tumbarumba and he moved there later that year. He also purchased farms in the Mannus Valley which sadly he needed to sell over the last few years as he was unable to manage the heavy work load.
In 2004 Mark and Julie opened PRDnationwide real estate in partnership with Mike Kingwill. In 2006 they bought full ownership of the business.
Early in 2006 along with Robert Dodwell Mark started Dodmac Farm and Forestry Services which at times employed over 50 people but due to health problems of both partners this business is no longer in existence. Mark and Julie also purchased the building at 60 The Parade Tumbarumba and started Tumba Auto which is today a thriving mechanics business.
During 2007 Mark began another business High Country Beef where he saw the opportunity to value add to his farm income and began grain feeding selected Angus cattle from his herd and then had them slaughtered, the cuts cryovac packaged and sold his quality meat to households and restaurants in Sydneys Eastern suburbs.
On February 9th 2008 Mark and Julie married in a ceremony at Kangaroo Valley a favourite place to both of them in a very relaxed, informal and happy ceremony followed by a typical aussie BBQ surrounded by family and friends and a party that lasted the weekend – it was typical of the way Mark lived his life.
During 2008 Marks health deteriorated to a point where open heart surgery was required for the 2nd time. The operation was to repair the tricuspid valve and to install a pace maker. The valve repair was unsuccessful and is the reason that Marks only hope of gaining back some form of life quality was a heart transplant. After 12 months of rigorous testing Mark was accepted on the list during 2010 and had been hoping a new lease in life would come along soon.
During Marks time in Tumba he has developed many strong friendships through his businesses, his involvement with Rugby League and AFL, the Tumbarumba Turf Club and also as a member of the Rotary Club of Tumbarumba. It was these friendships that helped him through what were his darkest days when he suffered severely from depression a result of his open heart surgeries and his heart break of not being able to continue the farm work he had done for many years.
Mark wore his emotions on his sleeve. Whenever you saw him he would come over and give you a big hug and he was not afraid to tell you if he was having a good day, or a bad day. He was an open book.
The thing that characterised Mark was his ability to make you feel special. He had genuine happiness in every greeting and would lavish hugs, kisses or handshakes like you were the most important person in the world.
Mark would always have a crack, he’d have a go. And to Mark that was what defined a person - not who they were or where they came from. If he got knocked down he would get up again and have another go. He was larger than life and he believed in the good in people. Marks hope was to receive a new heart that would enable him to once again enjoy life to the fullest. He didn’t have too many aspirations all he wanted was to again have a beer with his mates and spend time with his beloved family, to keep barracking for his beloved St George Dragons, to fish - a new hobby that was fast becoming an obsession and spend a bit more time in Bermagui. Mark knew the value of life and did not waste a second of it. He will be sadly missed by all.