Panu Tadeuszowi złamało się na schodach biodro, a że było to już drugie złamanie, to gorzej się goiło. A potem nastąpiły przeróżne komplikacje, wskutek których trafił do St Vincent Hospital. Tam zmarł w obecności swych najbliższych: synów Roberta i Andrzeja oraz wnuków Danieli i Marka. Kiedy lekarz odszedł od Pana Tadeusza, dawał znać, że pacjent zmarł. Ale już za jego plecami Pan Tadeusz otworzył oczy i ogarnął rodzinę usmiechem...w chwilę później zasnął...a teraz pewnie z nieba spogląda na ukochaną Warszawę i wspomina Sierpniowe Dni.
Mimo "very short notice" na uroczystości pogrzebowe przybyła pani wicekonsul Dorota Preda z bukietem kwiatów. Pod koniec mszy św. w Daceyville wyświetlono montaż zdjęć celebrujący życie Zmarłego. Na ekranie ukazało się zdjęcie uśmiechnietego Pana Tadeusza, obok którego widniał napis: "Rest in Peace, Our Hero". Podobny, ale bogatszy montaż obejrzeliśmy w czasie stypy, gdzie również był czas na pogawędki i wspomnienia. Usłyszeliśmy, że prochy Zmarłego pochowane będą w Parkes, obok żony Zofii. Również w Parkes odprawione zostanie nabożeństwo memorial service. Rodzina zostanie w przytulnym domku Pana Tadeusza przez tydzień, wspominając czasy, kiedy ze świńskiego łba robił salceson, a z ogrodu - raj.
I pomyśleć, że może nigdy byśmy o nim nie usłyszeli w Australii, gdyby nie uroczystość udekorowania bohatera Powstania Warszawskiego krzyżem Virtuti Militari. Mieliśmy zaszczyt spotkać Pana Tadeusza w czasie pięknej ceremonii w Konsulacie w sierpniu 2012 r. Zapraszamy do przeczytania niezwykłej opowieści o Panu Tadeuszu.
Kliknij tutaj. Widok z miasteczka Parkes
EULOGY by ROBERT RIXON. Ted Rixon – or to give him his birth name – Tedeusz Aleksander RACKIEWICZ – was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1919. His code name during the war was Bicz” which meant whip” and it described him perfectly – supple but strong. He was skinny, but tough. He was also a soft, gentle, compassionate man with resilience and tenacity. He had just begun University when the war broke out in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. That event changed his life forever, and cast the character of the man who became my father.
Ks. Jerzy Chrzczonowicz nad trumną Tadeusza Rackiewicza (Teda Rixona) |
In 1944, he led a platoon that was instrumental in the Warsaw Uprising. What I didnt know until recently, was that his unit attacked Gestapo Headquarters and held the building for several days despite attack by tanks, machine guns and flame throwers. For his action, he is a Polish national hero, receiving Polands highest award for service to his country – the Virtuti Militari. From his men, he received their undying gratitude and respect – that I personally witnessed when I met some of them later in Teds life.
After the war, Ted also became famous for his identification of Communist spies who were involved in blocking the supply routes into Berlin. His actions helped to ensure that supply lines remained open via the airport, which allowed the creation of West Berlin.
He was proud of his achievements during the war and Polands recognition of his service, but he was never boastful. What was not so obvious under this placid exterior was that my father had lost those things that were most important to him, and of these he rarely spoke.
During the war, he lost his brother at Auschwitz. And when the war was over, and he was ready to return home, his mother wrote to him saying that the Communists had taken over and under no circumstances should he ever return home, because if he did, he would be killed. So although they were still alive, he lost his mother and his sister; and now he had lost his home and heritage too.
Despite the tragic losses of war, despite the unspeakable horrors he had endured, despite his injuries, despite twice being taken POW, despite hunger and deprivation, despite the hardships of losing his family and his home, he remained positive in his outlook and attitude throughout his life.
He did not hate his captors, or hold onto the bitterness of loss or anger in his heart. Instead he was thankful for what he had, and he maintained lifelong, a loving and gentle spirit, shown in his radiant smile, and his warmth, compassion and consideration for others.
It is this spirit that makes Ted Rixon my hero.
In 1946 after the war, he married Sophie and in 1947 my brother Andrew was born. Wanting to build a new life, and unable to return home, in 1950 this new family emigrated to a distant land – Australia.
They were settled at the migrant camp in Parkes. Ted worked as railway signals engineer and later moved to Raymond Terrace where he became a laboratory technician. He always carried his big smile with him despite the hardships of living in a new and strange country.
Teds compassion showed often. When I was very young, he took in a wild ginger tomcat – healing its wounds, nuturing it till it thrived and winning its affection. No matter what the time, Machek would know when he was due to finish a shift at work and would be waiting for him so they could walk home together through the bush track. Decades later, when Dad visited my house in Sydney, my cats would come to him and sleep at his feet – his gentle, compassionate energy remained strong.
In 1963 the family moved to Sydney, taking the chance of better opportunities in the city. Ted soon got a role as technician working with a company called Bell & Howell, which specialised in the new technology of microfilm equipment. He thrived in this role until his retirement, even having some of his inventions and improvements patented.
Ted and Sophie retired and moved to Parkes (of radio telescope fame) in 1983. They returned to Parkes not only because they liked the town but because it was where they first lived in Australia.
Ted was a natural technician. He took his time, thinking about how best to do something, and always produced a professional result.
He always had a variety of projects happening at once, from doing watch repairs to building electronic kits and even designing and building garden ornaments. He also designed and built a clock that showed you the time anywhere in the world. Ted was also an excellent cook, first teaching his wife Sophie how to cook, and later teaching me all the basics. There seemed nothing that he was unable to do – and do well.
Ted was methodical, neat and proper. He would never go into town without having first shaved and putting on proper shoes. He liked everything to be neat and tidy and attractive.
He was frugal, but did indulge a little each day. He always had tea or coffee in a cup and saucer – never in a mug. His little luxury was to have some biscuits or cake or sweets, especially his beloved Triple Wafer biscuits. Such pleasure from something so simple.
He kept meticulous records, including every receipt and bill going back to 1986, all filed by year in separate envelopes. He also kept old Christmas and Easter cards and many letters from his colleagues, and it is these treasures that help us understand him and his history today.
Soon after his wife Sophie died from cancer, at the age of 77 and through the wonders of computers and email, he re-established contact with many of his colleagues that he had not known for almost 50 years. This invigorated Ted and soon led to trips to Poland and USA. The joy when my father was again able to see his sister and his comrades after 50 years was heartwarming. At age 80 he travelled to London – alone – to see more colleagues. This man was unstoppable.
He continued to live alone in Parkes and only recently at age 92 did he slow down. But even then he still had a full drivers licence and still shopped but needed help to cook and maintain the house. In his final year he recovered from a broken hip, a second serious fall and failing eyesight and mental cognition but his radiant smile and the sparkle in his eyes still remained undiminished.
Ted Rixon – my father – was a famous man and a skilled technician, but above all he was a gentle man, a kind, modest and loving man. A man who lived in the light of God.
May his spirit live forever.
Amen
Ted przy grobie swojej matki i brata, który zginął w Auschwitz |
Kind, gentle, loving, modest, thoughtful, inquisitive
Wonderful, cheerful, always smiling, never worrying
Generous, always thinking of the needs of others first – then his own needs
He was frugal, never consuming more than he needed, never wasting anything
Never angry or resentful, despite his ordeals
Lived in the light, WAS the light.
