Sad passing of Oneputt

[Willy wombat]

That is very sad news. Just saw this Post tonight after a few days away with work. I will miss his outback photography and helpful comments on the forum.

[blacknstormy]

Hi everyone - so sorry I haven't been back on. Not long after I posted this, my mother had a brain anurism, so I haven't been back online. I won't be on again for a couple of weeks, mum passed away, but we were able to harvest her kidneys, liver and eyes for transplant, but there is just so much to comprehend, and it is a time for family ....
I will send Martin a link to the forum page on John - it would be nice for them to see what a great bloke we all thought John was, and that we held him in such high regard. I hope this is ok with the mods?
Rel


John's son sent me the following email:

The funeral will be held on Monday 7 June at the Buderim Crematorium at 1:00pm.

The family invites all those wishing to attend, and a further notice will be displayed in Saturday's Sunshine Coast Daily.
Thank you to all who responded with kind words and best wishes.
Regards,
Martin Daniels

[Big Red]

There is about 29 pics that i found and posted up from one of our trips here >>> http://forums.overlander.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=66084

here is my favorite from that lot

[biggerry]

Hi everyone - so sorry I haven't been back on. Not long after I posted this, my mother had a brain anurism, so I haven't been back online. I won't be on again for a couple of weeks, mum passed away, but we were able to harvest her kidneys, liver and eyes for transplant, but there is just so much to comprehend, and it is a time for family ....

man, that is also terrible news! Rel, I hope you are OK and I imagine it is a very hard time for you right now - my thoughts are with you and your family - take care!

[surenj]

blacknstormy wrote:
Hi everyone - so sorry I haven't been back on. Not long after I posted this, my mother had a brain anurism, so I haven't been back online. I won't be on again for a couple of weeks, mum passed away, but we were able to harvest her kidneys, liver and eyes for transplant, but there is just so much to comprehend, and it is a time for family ....

Sorry to hear about your loss Rel. Take care and will see you around soon.

[the foto fanatic]

Rel - thinking of you and your family at this time of loss.
My condolences.

[Big Red]

Hi everyone - so sorry I haven't been back on. Not long after I posted this, my mother had a brain anurism, so I haven't been back online. I won't be on again for a couple of weeks, mum passed away

sorry to hear the bad news for you Rel

hugs
shane

[aim54x]

Very sorry to hear about your loss Rel.

[gstark]

Rel,

What can one say?

You know what matters, and that's what you need to do. Family comes first, but our thoughts are with you and your loved ones as well.

And I awoke to an email this morning from a friend in the US advising of the passing of a colleague of ours. I'd not seen Brian in maybe six or seven years, but we'd spent many hours together in bars (and perhaps sessions) at conferences we were both attending. I know he won't mind me telling y'all that he was truly a redneck.

A songwriter friend of mine, Dennis Aubrey, often plays a song that is entirely appropriate at times such as this. The lyrics go along the lines of

"Don't forget to tell the people you love that you love them"

Words that bear remembering.

[chrisk]

wow, havent logged on in ages and i see this.
my deepest condolences to johns family and rel you and yours aswell.

very sad news.

[wendellt]

oh my rel im so sorry to hear about your loss
you can be proud your mother will live on in a way as her organs will give life to others which is a wonderful thing

i hope you have a speedy recovery and you have all my best wishes

[ATJ]

I'm very sorry about your loss, Rel. I'm glad that you have been able to see something positive about the loss, too.

[Big V]

Even though I did not know him personally, it is always a sad occasion to hear of an untimely passing. My thoughts are with the family and friends...

[radar]

Rel,

sorry to hear about your sad news. My thoughts and prayers go with you and your family.

André

[CraigVTR]

Rel
So sorry to hear about your loss, during such a time time it is important for familys to support and comfort each other. Our thoughts are with you.

[Big Red]

WHOLEHOGS SPEECH

Thanks to all who have contributed to the threads regarding John, and to those who were fortunate to be able to attend John's last get together of friends and family.

The small obituary I delivered was not about me, it was about all of us, those who have been able to share a small part of John's life, if not in person, even just on forums like this.

It was a pleasure to have been asked by John's family to speak about the social side of John, that I think his many peers and some family didn't quite see him the way we did, and enjoyed.

Below is the small speech I did, with the help of the many contributors to these recent threads, and words of encouragement from his many close friends. It was a tough day, but one to be remembered forever. Thankyou for sharing it with his family.


This week, when searching the depths of my feelings, I happened across this saying, which shows how we can grow strength from events in our lives.

Rock bottom is good solid ground, and a dead end street is just a place to turn around.

Anyone who spent time with John, camping, photography or while he was travelling got to meet one of life’s real true gentlemen.

John was a man who loved the outdoors, golfing, fishing, 4wding, camping and photography. He made hundreds of friends in those pursuits, and those hundreds of people were fortunate enough to have a part in John’s life. John’s nickname was Oneputt, which really reflected the prowess of him, not just in golf, but in any pursuit he took to task, he became a master.

There are literally hundreds of acknowledgements, condolences and posts on the forums that John participated in, Overlander 4wd, Fishing, digital photography, acknowledging the loss of a great friend, a contributor, a travelling companion, a camping buddy, a photographic friend, but overall, a real true aussie mate...someone we never thought we would lose.

I would like to share a few of those with you now....
....................................................................................................................
I have really been privileged to have known John and spent many a night under the stars in some far flung places with him.

Without exception it was always a pleasurable experience to travel and camp together or to head off on another photoshoot with him.

He was a true gentleman which is why he loved the boys weekends as he didn't have to act quite so "proper" in the absence of the opposite sex.


I can honestly say that I respected John more than any other man on this Earth . I went up to visit him in hospital on saturday evening and he looked and sounded exactly like he did when he used to fall asleep in his chair around the campfire ... softly snoring and totally relaxed. ..........That’s how i will remember him ...

John was like a father figure, he was always willing to teach me things, talk about his experiences and life and show me new things. I ‘am so grateful for what he has done for me in my life and how he affected me, and gave me passion for a life that I was so new to.. and it helped that he had the same passions in things as I did, Fishing, Photography, Camping and sitting around the campfires...I was lucky enough to spend many nights in the million star hotel with John admiring the serenity and laughing at his jokes... sharing good times with him, Shane and Andrew and Mark.


John, wherever you may be mate... thank you for showing me life and helping me love being alive.. you showed me your passion for the outdoors and everything in between.. you were a saint in my eyes... a true gentleman.. and you will always be remembered in my life and I appreciate everything you did for me.

If you have a look under John’s name on Overlander forum you will see his ranking is
"Expedition Maestro" ...
I reckon he has left on the ultimate trip now ...
I can just see him driving the mighty Cruiser off into the distant sunset ... leaving behind a whole swag of family, friends who were fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of knowing him.
Save some exploring for when i get up there mate!!


Rest in peace John, may the fish be biting, the beer be cold and the sunsets be beautiful for you mate...
He will be sadly missed by all friends and family...

The absolute honour of being known as a friend of John Daniels will remain with me for all of my days.

I will remember him for his wisdom, his honesty, his individuality and his kindness.

I was so privileged when he allowed me to come along on the boys weekends. I was the one that left the campfire to "break wind" . And I won't tell how he teased me when it had to be explained to me how to use a bush toilet!!
Yes, always a gentleman, but had an incredible sense of humour.

I always had time for John like he did for me, and I’m saddened that I didn’t go to see him while he was still with us, I feel guilty in some ways that I didn’t make myself go... but I also didn’t want to disturb him and thought he would be the resilient never say die old smurf that i knew him to be...

John, wherever you may be mate... thank you for showing me life and helping me love being alive.. you showed me your passion for the outdoors and everything in between.. you were a saint in my eyes... a true gentleman.. and you will always be remembered in my life and I appreciate everything you did for me.

When he first learned just how crook he was I told him to not worry as only the good die young ... sadly, never a truer word was spoken.

The effect John had on whole communities makes my heart swell with pride knowing that so many thought the same way. An absolute gentleman he was and a great mate. It is an honour to have camped and stayed with a man that is shown so much respect by his peers.

....................................................................................................................

Many people from John’s favourite interest groups got to spend many memorable times with him, I now want to share a few of those with you......

Everyone knows that John was a slightly "reserved" man and one memory that really sticks in my mind was one night camped on the Hay River Track in the Northern Simpson with John, Kevin, Michael and myself ...

We had just finished a canned meal [eating straight out of the cans] and i stood up to "do the dishes" [burn off the foodscraps left in the tin and squash them flat then chuck them in the rubbish bag].
Any way, i lined up the tins and stomped on the first one but when i lifted my foot it had disappeared like magic which started John laughing ...

I dug it out and tried again with the same result which set him laughing harder so i tried stomping on the other tins and they all disappeared ... pop pop pop ... and this started John giggling uncontrollably like a little baby ... which had the rest of us trying very hard and unsuccessfully to stop ourselves from laughing but John's giggling kept us all going ... then for the next half hour every time we looked at John he would start off again. It was truly a magic moment.

John knew that Bob from a photographic forum had a Nikon D3 on order long before it became available in Australia and originally John didn't intend upgrading his own camera.

Anyway John decided to do so and managed to get a imported Nikon D3 before Bob could get his into the country and got Mark to present it to him all wrapped up at one of the camera forums Christmas Party just to stir Bob up.

The look on Bobs and Johns faces was priceless

...............................................................................................................

Now I would like to give a story of the last major trip with John of my time with John...

John and I travelled to Lake Ayre last year, to do a flight over it while it had a lot of water and life in it, a photographers dream. John wanted a small plane, doors off and to be able to fly low.

So with an aging Cessna and seats for 3, I had the lucky spot of being in the back, ah well, Oneputt is the pro photographer...

John had a fair whinge to this mob about our pre-booked flight being deferred for a day for them to cater for Channel 7, so we got a good ride in the end, of The Painted Hills in a late afternoon light and Lake Ayre with a sunset.

We did the Painted Hills area first, with Oneputt shooting wildly into the sky and landscape, when he suggested he wanted to go lower and get amongst the hills.. ...I felt comfort in being in the rear of this aluminium pencil, as planes don't usually back into hills ...too often.

As we went lower the pilot informed us that it would get bumpy..to me that meant MORE bumpy...we went to about 100 feet but still at a great rate of knots...and cruised the hills and messas. Oneputt was having the time of his life and the scenery was terrific, I gave up getting any decent shots as they were only of Oneputt's head, ear, camera or arm edging more and more over the side of the plane.

Eventually the ride was getting to me, and I started to feel the point of no return, and suddenly had the need to evacuate my stomach... the only quick thing I could find to save the back of John's head was my flanno jacket beside me, so quickly I grabbed it and an open pocket and proceeded to transfer my lunch which included several beers.

Oneputt turned to say something and saw my situation, which grabbed the pilots attention as well...The pilot was now anxious about his plane interior, and Oneputt was laughing wildly, trying to get himself angled around too take bloody photo's, but luckily his 4 point harness prevented him getting his arms and camera around...so those photos never happened, and I binned an old faithful jacket...but shared a great time with an old faithful friend.


....................................................................................................................



I am privileged to have spent lots of nights under the stars, and thousands of kilometres on the roads and tracks out back, or just at a regular campsite favourite or two with John alone, or with his many many sincere friends. Many people here today, have shared their own adventures with John.

Special to me is the last time I took John out for lunch and coffee, a few days before he slipped away, we sat and watched the world, on the boardwalk at Caloundra. It's sad to know that the handshake and goodbye wave he gave as I left him at home, would be the last.

Me and John were real opposites in many ways, discussions over social issues, work and politics showed individualism.....and a gentleman respectful of all........but the 5 million star hotel was a joining post, of persons and opinions.....and every time I am there in the future, camped under the stars....I’ll remember....John will be there too.

.................................................................................................................


Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon and laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn and appreciate your friends. Do what you love and live as if this is all there is. I know John did just that.


Rest In Peace... your mate, our mate, and my mate John - Oneputt.
************************************************************

Wholehogs speech and Shakey88's video really made it very special for me as it showed the enormous feelings felt by the forums he shared with us all... thank you guys.

Was great to see so many of his forum friends turn up and overflow the chapel.
Several of us then went down to one of Johns favorite retaurants, Olivers, for a bite to eat and something to drink while waiting for the sunset.


Angie and Big Tim organised some helium and native seeds while NannaJo organised some latex balloons and as the sun went down on the day we sent off some balloons into the sky.

Farewell Mate !

[biggerry]

Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon and laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn and appreciate your friends. Do what you love and live as if this is all there is. I know John did just that.

thats good advice - Rest in Peace oneputt.

[redline]

Very sad news.
I never met Oneputt but I did deal with him one stage a few years back with a D70 purchase.
RIP

[zafra52]

Rest in Peace. Amen!

[Manta]

I've been overseas without internet access and just saw this sad news. I met John on several occasions and loved his humour and passion for life.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will be greatly missed.

Rel - how awful to read of your loss too. I've sent you an email and will be in touch.

[BBJ]

Well what can 1 say that hasn't already been said about this great person, too add that he will be missed as like many of us always looked forward to John's post, although i am not around a lot but always get on and look forward to see what is going on. RIP Ole Fella.

[LostDingo2]

I just heard of this as well....life is so brief.

Big Red really summed up what I always thought of with John

one of life’s real true gentlemen

[Big Red]

After going through all my pics i found quite a few of John and have put them on my blog whether they are good pics or bad.

the first 3 and the last 1 are taken by others.

sure brought back a lot of memories of some great times

http://bigred4x4.blogspot.com/2010/05/rip-oneputt.html

[wendellt]

what a beutiful and heartfelt farewell
i was just in the sunshine coast yesterday and i thought of him
i did a campaign in Noosa about 3 years ago and John took me around Noosa location scouting
what a wonderful person