Joe Mulders (1927 – 2025)
Joe Mulders was born in D’Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium on June 25, 1927.
At every opportunity he informed everyone he was born in the same hospital as actress Audrey Hepburn.
At the age of 16, towards the end of World War Two, he joined the Red Cross as a stretcher bearer.
After the war he worked with the British Army during the Berlin airlift.
He was employed as an interpreter as he spoke several languages including English, Dutch, French and German.
He could also communicate in Russian. He learned English by listening to the radio.
Joe started working with Pan American Airways in Germany as an interpreter.
From there Pan-Am transferred him to Sydney. On arrival however, he found there was no real job for him.
As a result, he joined Qantas where he remained for three years.
While in Sydney, he met his future wife, Kath. They were married in 1963.
The next move was to Vanuatu where he managed the Air Melanesian Airport for almost 20 years.
At the same time Kath managed a Travel Agency. Their son Maurice was born in 1964.
In 1981, Australia beckoned and the family settled on a cattle property at Killarney, not far from Kath’s family property.
In the 1990s they moved to Tamborine Mountain and operated an avocado and rhubarb farm at the southern end of the mountain.
They also became members of the Farmers’ Co-Operative (Green Shed).
Finally, in 2002, they decided to retire and bought a property in Griffith Street, North Tamborine.
Joe joined the RSL Sub Branch in the early 1980s and served on the board for decades as treasurer, secretary and membership secretary.
He was the longest serving member of the Sub Branch and foundation member of the RSL Services Club.
Membership to Probus followed in July 2008. He enjoyed several interest groups – Aviation (obviously), Writers and the Grumpies.
Numerous articles were written by Joe and published in the Probus monthly newsletter. These articles were about his life and the many interesting people he met along the way.
This was a man who had a long, full and interesting life.
Wherever he went, he made friends and he will be missed by all.
