Robert Gerard Toombs – Church Service

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

A Celebration of the life of Robert Gerard Toombs- born on 3rd March 1951 and sadly passed away on 7th August 2021.

Son of William Herbert and Margaret Mary Toombs.

Brother of Kenny and Brian no longer with us, Marie, Joan, Johnny, Barry, Patricia, Greg and Peter.
In 1973 he married Leonie, and fathered three sons Nathan, Duncan and Andrew.  
Father-in-law to Amanda.
Grandfather to Jack and Reid.
We will always remember Bobby and his love of family get togethers on special occasions, weddings where he would insist he wanted to bring his own VB beer, 21st birthdays, but he especially looked forward to the Toombs Boxing Day gatherings.  He would be first to arrive with his esky full of beer and last to leave after giving us his rendition of his favourite songs.
These social events were even more meaningful to him, particularly when Nathan, Duncan and Andrew were in attendance and we would be treated to our own private concerts.  Bobby was so proud of his boys’ talents and accomplishments that they achieved over the years.
Bobby would always boast about how many meat trays he won at the hotel raffles, but the reason soon became apparent when we found out that he was buying most of the tickets. 
In retirement, Bobby was kept busy with his beloved birds and visiting his family and friends.
In 2018 he enjoyed 6 a week holiday, travelling over to England and Europe with Duncan, Jack and Reid.  During the trip Bobby stayed in a pub in Monmouth Wales and each morning would walk into the small town and dine at the ‘happy panda’ where he made many a friend.  Bobby said that this was his favourite place in the whole world.  Bobby truly believed that this was the trip of a lifetime and the photographs of the trip really captured those precious memories.
In March this year Bobby travelled on the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth, unfortunately this would be his last trip.  Bobby set off on the train and reminisced over daily phone calls about how the train handled.  It was another enjoyable trip and another accomplishment he ticked off his bucket list.

Following is some of Bobby’s history in his own words from the St Mary’s Old Boy journal
I had a great life growing up I went to St Saviour’s College from years one to three and then moved to St Mary’s College until year seven.  In grade five, I fell 20 feet through a roof headfirst.  I bashed my head on the rafters and landed on a cement floor.  I snapped my right wrist in half and I’ve still got the scar.  I had to learn how to write again and talk because I couldn’t speak properly afterwards.  It knocked the hell out of me and I spent about two years recovering. 
When I returned to school they asked if I could start again in year six and my teacher Mrs Day, said I could.  I wasn’t very good at learning after that so I left school when I was 15 to start work at the Downs Bacon Factory.  I then got a job as a baker, making bread and scones.  We’d wheel it out the back in a cage and cool it down in the open air.  I’d go to work at 10 o’clock at night and finish at six in the morning. 
I finished that and got another job driving road trains when I was 19.  I drove road trains out west, carting cattle from cattle stations to rail heads.  I drove about 300 kilometres a day stopping every 20 kilometres to check the tyres and keep the truck in running order.  I was mainly based in Winton and would travel all over including up and down sand hills in the sandy plains.
I came back to Toowoomba and joined the railway in 1973. I was 22 years old.  I started off as a cleaner and then became a fireman, working diesel trains from Toowoomba to Brisbane, Dalby, Thallon, Texas, Chinchilla, Meandarra, Warwick Wallangarra and Inglewood.  It would take us eight or nine hours to get from Toowoomba to Brisbane.  I was based in various places like Inglewood, Thallon and Chinchilla.  I spent 14 years as a fireman and then I did my driver’s exam and became a driver in 1989.
I kept driving until I retired from a back injury when I turned 60 years old.  Working for the railway was the greatest time in my life.
We will end with Bobby’s favourite quote, “Turn those wagons around pilgrim”.