John Stephenson
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
John Becket Stephenson died on Saturday 30th.January in Prince of Wales Hospital Sydney. During the day his three sisters, many family friends and several Brothers visited Becket and prayed at his bedside.
Having entered the Congregation the 2nd. December 1939 Becket spent 70 years in the Congregation. He began teaching in South Melbourne 1942 but for just one year. He then moved to Adelaide where he taught for 14 years followed by 2 years in Queensland. The major periods of his life were spent in NSW and PNG. In New South Wales he spent 13 years in active service, with 5 years as Principal and 9 years as Community Leader. He would also spend his retirement, a period of 14 years in Sydney, first at Waverley College and then at Charingfield.
Becket had a great love for PNG where he spent 24 years at three different periods and was Principal of Teachers College at Wewak for 5 years.
Becket had a great interest in history and kept up to date in his reading with special attention to Church documents. He was a man of strong views but one who never wavered in his fidelity to family, friends, Congregation and Church.
His funeral will take place Friday 5th. February from St Patrick’s College chapel. St Patrick’s was where he received his secondary education and was a school attended by his nephews.
May he rest in peace.
