Community news: Obituary

TRADEWINDS founder
Tony O’Brien passed away
suddenly on December 28.
The former Zambia Airways
employee was 78 years
old.
Tony started his career
in the travel industry with
Aer Lingus in Dublin.
Then, in his early 20s
he took up a job with
Zambia Airways and
moved to Zambia, where
his career progressed to
open the airline’s office
in Botswana. He finally
moved with his family to
open the Johannesburg
office in the early ’80s.
After 27 years with
Zambia Airways he started
his own business –
Tradewinds – doing tours
to Ireland and golf tours to
South Africa, and was also
involved with Pathfinders,
a retail travel agency.
He passed away
suddenly after suffering a
heart attack on December
28 after spending a
Christmas holiday with his
family in Plettenberg Bay.
He leaves his wife Doreen,
to whom he was married
for 52 years, as well as
his three daughters and
seven grandchildren.
Former Thompsons
employee Moira Smith had
the following to say about
Tony.
“RIP Tony O’Brien. You
were one of a kind. A great
man and mentor, you were
the one who helped me in
starting my travel career.
You were all that is great
about the Irish.”
The memorial service for
Tony was held on Friday,
January 15, at the Catholic
Church in Bryanston.