GRAHAM Gibson became the third family member to be awarded a Order of Australia Medal (OAM) when he was recognised in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours List.
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A retired school teacher who lives in Taree, Graham, was honoured for services to the Taree community.
His sisters, Lin and Averil have previously received OAMs, Averil posthumously.
Graham has been heavily involved in all aspects of community life, particularly in sporting and cultural activities.
Born in Walcha in 1938, the youngest of nine children, Graham's early school days were spent at Walcha Primary before he enrolled in Fairfax House at the Scots College, Bellevue Hill. Initially he was a year younger than most of his class mates and it was decided that he should repeat fourth year (year 10).
This, he said, was the making of him.
"I was determined to improve, I felt left behind by my old class mates,'' he explained.
He entered enthusiastically into studies and extracurricular activities including sport, debating, choir and a major musical production The Pirates of Penzance.
Graham was eventually presented with the prestigious Blackwood Trophy for work and sport by the then Governor General of Australia, Sir William Slim.
In sport Graham made the First XV rugby team, the First XI cricket side and was vice captain of the school's senior tennis team, the GPS champions in 1954 and '55.
Graham was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship and enrolled at the University of New England to study for a Bachelor of Arts.
After leaving UNE he was appointed to Wauchope High School as an English and history teacher in 1961. He was promoted to English/history master at Gunnedah High School.
His move to Taree came in 1978 when he transferred to Taree High as history master.
In 1986 Graham was promoted to deputy principal at Narrabri High and in 1990 he was further promoted to Nowra Technology High as principal. In 1996 Graham retired to return to Taree.
Graham's interest in music and drama started at Scots College and continued through his teaching career.
At Taree High he was persuaded to produce a musical by the retiring principal as a favour. Graham decided on The Mikado.
This began a series of productions that included Oklahoma, The Gondoliers and two reviews, High Spirits and Hot Air that he wrote and directed in conjunction with the school's music teacher.
Graham featured in the annual Taree Golf Club Easter Revue. He was persuaded to take over from the retiring producer and then produced four revues before leaving to take up employment in Narrabri.
Sport has been a lifelong passion. While at university he represented UNE in rugby union as well as representing New England in Country Week and in numerous inter district fixtures. A halfback, he was named by the Daily Telegraph as player match for New England against the touring New Zealand Maoris in 1958.
Injury forced his retirement from the football field and he took up golf. Aged just 30 he was elected president of the golf committee at Wauchope in 1959 and was on the board of directors at Gunnedah Golf Club from 1971 to '77.
Graham served on the board of directors at Taree Golf Club from 1981-985 while he also coached junior cricket teams in Taree and was president of Taree West Cricket Club in that time.
He also organised and captained the Pros and Cons twilight cricket side.
After returning to Taree he was elected Taree Golf Club president in 1996, a position he held for three years until the amalgamation with Taree RSL.
In 2001-02 he was elected captain of Club Taree Golf and then president in 2004 until 2008. He was elected to the board of directors of Club Taree in 2009 and was elected senior vice president in 2009.
"I undertook leadership positions more to fill a void than to contest the position or seek notoriety,'' he said.
"Whenever the incumbent was managing successfully I never challenged.''
Graham was heavily involved with the organisation of Taree Golf Club's high successful centenary celebrations last month. This included editing the souvenir book.
Until last week he was the golf correspondent for the Times, writing the popular Over the Fence with Gibbo column.
He completed national service in 1961 and has been a member of the NSW National Servicemen's Association and Taree RSL Sub-branch for many years. He has also organised a number of ambrose golf days in Taree that have raised funds for different charities.
Graham is also a keen gardener. He is married to Judy and has two sons, Peter and Glen and a daughter, Penny.
