OUR STORIES

• “HE WAS A GREAT PRODUCT OF PARADE.”

  ​Des Reardon, a final year student of Parade’s Class of 1957 and a regular at the Old Paradians’ Association’s Monthly Luncheons at Melbourne’s RACV City Club, has passed away after a short illness.
  
  Des, who would have celebrated his 80th birthday in mid-January, died on Monday (November 16) in Heidelberg’s Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre.
  
  So ended a life well-lived.
  
  Des’s wife of 54 years Margaret this week paid tribute to her soulmate – “a fine man” whom she first met at the taxation office in Lonsdale Street where they were both employed.
  
  “Des was an only child who grew up in Middle Park and attended the Carmelite boys school. For years he organized reunions of those in his classes there,” Margaret said.
  
  “He was very loyal, very determined and had very definite ideas on things . . . he also had a great love for the South Melbourne Football Club because of where he grew up and he’s been a continuous Member of the Swans since 1948.”

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• TO THE MEMORY OF RON BENNETT

  ​He is pictured in his school uniform, sitting cross legged in the front row - a member of Parade’s Intermediate B Class of 1936.
  
  At just 14, Master Ron Bennett shared the hopes and dreams of his 36 fellow pupils when he proudly posed for the College photographer.
  
  But those hopes and dreams would never materialise for young Ron. A world war would see to that.
  
  Ronald Andrew Bennett, the son of Ernest and Mary Bennett, was born in North Fitzroy on October 4, 1921. He was the third of five siblings, following his sister Rae and brother Ivan, and preceding sisters Muriel and Stella.
  
  On completing his intermediate at the ‘Old Bluestone Pile’, Ron furthered his studies at the Marist Brothers’ St Patrick’s College in Sale, before finding employment as a clerk with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (later the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation).
  
  But he maintained his links with Parade as a valued team member of the Old Paradians’ Amateur Football Club . . . and he wore the purple, green and blue with pride.

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• AT LEAGUE LEVEL, TIGER TRENT KNOWS NO PEER

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• 'WHEELS' LACE-OUT TO PRATT ON NASH’S WATCH

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• REMEMBERING BILL REID

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• BEDFORD INDUCTED INTO OPA HALL OF FAME

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UPCOMING EVENTS

• OPA Christmas Luncheon

  This event has been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions

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ABOUT

The Old Paradians' Association seeks to foster links with all past students, whose formative years were shaped by the Christian Brothers of Parade College.

Formally established in 1914, the Association’s inaugural 13-man committee included the President James Kennedy (who completed his Matriculation class at Parade in 1890), Reverend Brother JM Dwyer and the Rush brothers Robert and William, all of whom maintained a continuing interest in the Association for the rest of their lives.