TheHallowian-2021Vol2 - Flipbook - Page 5
“
160 STORIES
Margaret’s traits of
courage and compassion
inspired me as my
husband Stephen
and I were raising
her grandchildren.
The values instilled in
Margaret, in part by her
time at All Hallows’, are
values I’m pleased to
say I see reflected in our
students today.
My wonderful mother-in-law, Margaret
O’Kane, a woman of great courage and
compassion, is a past pupil of All Hallows’.
Margaret, now 88, grew up during World War
II. Her father served in the Australian Army
and was captured in Singapore, becoming a
prisoner-of-war and toiling on the BurmaThailand Railway. Although he lived for 30
years after the war, he never recovered from
his injuries.
During this tumultuous time, Margaret’s
caring nature came to the fore as she helped
shoulder family responsibilities.
With her mother a teacher, education was
highly valued by Margaret’s family and she
was sent to All Hallows’ in 1948 to complete
her junior and sub-junior.
“
When I was appointed Principal of All
Hallows’ School in 2015, I already had a family
connection with our school.
herself as a young girl was taken right outside
what is now my office.
After high school, Margaret met and married
my father-in-law Mike O’Kane, a primary school
principal and eventually a QIT lecturer, and
they had six sons. Despite the hectic pace of
raising her family, Margaret always had time to
help others, volunteering at Terrace, being an
active member of the Queen of Apostles Parish
in Stafford and volunteering for organisations
including Lifeline.
Margaret’s traits of courage and compassion
inspired me as my husband Stephen and I were
raising her grandchildren. The values instilled
in Margaret, in part by her time at All Hallows’,
are values I’m pleased to say I see reflected in
our students today.
Mrs Catherine O’Kane
Principal
She blossomed at our school, relished every
moment and made life-long friends. In fact,
one of Margaret’s favourite photographs of
2021 | The Hallowian
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