Aileen Packman's lifelong kindness and final act of generosity

“Aileen had a wicked sense of humour,” Glenda Porter recalls. “She was bright, even at 99, and kind. We met as neighbours when she popped in to check if I needed help after my husband died, and we quickly became firm friends. 

“She always said that she would leave her home to brain research and had a valid reason to do so.” 

Aileen Jean Hamilton was born on 18 November 1921 at Atherton in north Queensland and passed away in Brisbane on 24 March 2021, aged 99. She moved to Bulimba as a young woman when she met and married Harry Packman.  

They lived on a boat together before buying a house on the river at Byron Street. Years later, after her husband passed away, Aileen purchased a block of land on McConnell Street. She built a home and lived there until she died, bequeathing her property to UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute.  

In February 1957, Aileen and Harry had a son, Ronnie.

In the 1970s, Ronnie was at TAFE during his fitting and turning apprenticeship, when he met Paul Oxlade, who became a close, lifelong family friend.  Paul explains how Aileen came to treat him as a second son.  

“I spent much of my weekend over at their house on the river or out on either Ronnie’s boat, Lollipop, or Harry’s boat, Thora, after his first wife,” Paul says. “Aileen always made me feel welcome, and this is when I got to know her well. A roast dinner was always on the table on Sunday night, which was great.” 

In 1986, when Ronnie was working as a ferryman, he was involved in a car accident in Hawthorne. Trees were obstructing the view of a stop sign, and as he entered the intersection, he was hit by another car. The accident left Ronnie with severe brain injuries, and he required constant care.  

Paul and his wife, Donna, spent many hours taking Aileen and Harry up to the hospital.  

“By this time, Harry had had both his legs removed, so it was a big job taking them out,” Paul says. “It was a great credit to Aileen that she looked after Harry until he passed. 

“When it came time to sell her Byron Street home, Aileen moved in with me. Donna and Aileen visited display homes and spent many hours designing and selecting colours and fittings for her new home. 

“After she moved in, I helped organise her Will. That’s when I took Aileen to the Queensland Brain Institute for a tour. After she learned about their research and how their research had advanced, she decided to leave her whole estate to QBI to help others like her son.”  

Aileen continued visiting Ronnie right up until she passed. Later in her life, Glenda used to drive Aileen to see him regularly.  

“He called me ‘Loll’ because I would bring him banana lollies,” Glenda says. “Aileen always said Ronnie was full of life before the accident, and she grieved for the man who was no longer there. She often lamented that had they known then what they know now about treating traumatic brain injury, Ronnie may have been able to lead a normal life. 

"Aileen was of a generation when you just got on with life, regardless of what it threw at you. She was fiercely independent. Even though people were happy to help her, Aileen didn’t want to be a bother. Sadly, she had a fall in her garage in 2021 and broke her hip in three places, ending up in hospital. Soon after that, she had a massive stroke and passed away.” 

“Paul, Ronnie’s friend, stayed close to Aileen and was always there for her and Ronnie, who passed away just a year after his mum. Aileen just adored Paul. She would brighten up when he visited. She trusted him to look after her affairs,” Glenda says.   

As the executor of her Will, Paul spent years ensuring Aileen’s final wishes were granted. She was adamant about the proceeds of her home going to brain injury research, saying that she had to do it for Ronnie in the hope that this work would prevent others from suffering as he did. 

Aileen had lived in Bulimba for about 60 years. She was always one to help others, so she had many friends in the neighbourhood and beyond. She loved orchids and convinced Glenda to join an orchid club in Wynnum and attend orchid shows.  

“The club had monthly meetings, and we’d always go,” Glenda says. “The people were so lovely, and they all wanted Aileen on their table at events or to sit next to her on bus trips. She always had stories from her life to share. She was a dear friend and is sorely missed by us all.”  

UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute Executive Director, Professor Pankaj Sah, explains the Institute’s appreciation for Aileen’s gift.  

“We are incredibly grateful to Aileen for her overwhelming generosity and foresight in deciding to leave her Estate to QBI. Our mission is to honour her wishes and make inroads into brain research, especially traumatic brain injury, which will help others in the future,” Professor Sah says.