Son of Edward and Rebecca Martha
Anthony (k/a Tony) was two years old when Edward and his family moved to “The Downs”. At 35 years of age Tony married local school teacher, Muriel Ward. They first settled on “The Downs” where their only child, Lex Edward, was born. During the late 40’s the manual telephone exchange was transferred from “Paleroo Station” to “The Downs”. Muriel operated the service until well into the 50’s. Muriel enjoyed immensely the operation of this service, as it provided some social contact, in what was a very isolated situation.
In 1953 Anthony and Muriel moved to Armidale where Lex attended
De La Salle College. After five years in Armidale they moved to Toowoomba and eventually to Brisbane. Muriel died in 1974, and Anthony in 1986 at 80 years of age.
In 1958, Lex commenced working at Cyril Windrum & Co. (later to become Alex Overett Pty. Ltd.), auctioneers and valuers. While there he attended the QLD Institute of Technology and registered as a valuer. He also gained his auctioneer’s licence. In 1968 Lex accepted the offer to become a partner in the business, Alex Overett Pty. Ltd. In 1982 the company combined with Fowles Overett Group, operating business in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Projects such as the total disposal of Mary Kathleen Uranium Limited and Gunpowder Copper Ltd. (both mining operations in the far north-west of Queensland), Levero Pacific Timbers in the Solomon Islands and other Fiji projects are some of the auctions in which Lex has been personally involved. Lex now operates and trades as Lex E. Simshauser Pty. Ltd. at Red Hill, Brisbane, specialising in marketing consultancy, industrial
auctioneering, valuing and technical appraisal.
Lex Simshauser’s life has not all been devoted just to business – he has been an active sportsman in football and cricket. Of special interest was his involvement in rowing prior to his marriage. He has held for 12 years an unrestricted private pilot licence for light aircraft – used in commuting to often remote and distant locations.
In 1965 Lex married Kathleen Kearney, a nurse at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane. Their first child, Paul Edward was born in 1969 and their second child Nyree Anne in 1972. Paul attained a Bachelor of Economics degree at the University of Queensland in 1989 and is now in his final year of a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Griffith University as a part-time student. He has an employment position with the Qld. Electricity Commission. Nyrce is currently undertaking study in a public relations course. Lex and his family live in Ashgrove, Brisbane.
