Kurt Bo Axel Heinebäck (commonly known as Bo/Bosse) was born in his aunt’s house in Motala, Sweden on 2 March 1937. His parents were Karl-Axel and Ingrid Heineback. He was proceeded by an older brother of three years Åke, and was followed by his two younger brothers Anders in 1946 and Per in 1956.

As toddlers Bo and Åke shared a small bed, which was located in the base of the kitchen sitting bench. He spent his school years growing up with his family in Mjölby and Eksjö in the province of Småland. As a young child, he loved playing Cowboys and Indians with his brothers and cousins in the hills and forests of Småland.

In his youth, he enjoyed gymnastics, track and field and showing off his physical strength and prowess. Bo often recounted two favourite stories; a time when he won a Pull Up Contest in Middle School and the other when he raced a bus on a push bike. His parents took the bus from Eksjö to Vetlanda (a distance of more than 30 kilometres). Bo departed on his bike at the same time as the bus. As the bus made stops along the way, Bo continued to ride along the main road as fast as he could go, all the way to Vetlanda. He arrived just before the bus and would later brag that he stood with arms folded nonchalant with the bus driver staring at him, completely dumbfounded in disbelieve as he pulled up to the station in Vetlanda.

Times were tough for Swedes growing up and living in the Post World War Depression era. Bo was academically inclined and practiced how to write on toilet paper, prior to it being used by his family. His father laboured hard as a road builder and would later join the police force. His mother was a kitchen attendant for the local military division and until she married and become a full-time homemaker.

At 20 years old, he completed his mandatory military service (Lumpen) in Eksjö. Upon completion, due to his hard study and academic persistence he achieved enrolment to Uppsala University where he obtained a Law Degree. Upon graduation, Bo realised he did not wish to pursue law but instead decided to join the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping forces. At age 25, Bo travelled with the UN forces in Congo as a peacekeeper. Bo recalled he was often scared walking patrol through the African jungle at night. Alone with nothing but a rifle, torchlight and sheer courage he would wonder if he would be ambushed by the guerrilla rebel fighters or attacked by the African wildlife out hunting at night.

Bo stated that this experience would later assist with his admission into the Swedish Foreign Ministry (Utrikets Departamentet-UD). He recounted stories of the gruelling UD interview process and that he was quite nervous about the competitive application process, as they would only take on a small number of interns per year. When he received news of his acceptance, he was ecstatic to know he could serve in the Foreign Ministry.

Bo commenced with Foreign Ministry in 1966 and worked in various Branches of the Department. He was posted as a Diplomat to the Swedish Embassy in Washington D.C. There he would meet his first wife Barbara Taylor Heinebäck, who was conducting an interview about Sweden on behalf of CBS News. They were engaged in Jamaica and later married in Washington D.C. in March of 1972. On completion of his US posting, Bo and Barbara returned to Stockholm, Sweden where they had their only child Erik Heinebäck in 1973. During this time, Bo left UD and joined Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) as Deputy Director. In 1976 Bo and Barbara divorced, and she and Erik returned to live in Washington D.C.

Bo then joined the United Nations in 1977 and was posted to New York city where his son Erik would visit on holidays and weekends. Bo enjoyed the arts, culture, music and culinary cuisine that the 24-hour madness of New York had to offer - “The city that never sleeps!” He often laughed at the American television commercials. One of his favourites was about The Cockroach Hotel trap; “they check in, but they don’t check out”. (New York had its share of cockroaches!)

He returned to Sweden briefly before being appointed as Ambassador to Zimbabwe in 1980, after it had gained independence, formerly known as Rhodesia. He worked in Zimbabwe for four years, and Erik lived with him for two of those years. Bo loved Safaris and exploring the African wildlife and nature reserves. One of his cherished memories was spending the night in a tent listening to a pride of lions slay and devour a buffalo within 50 metres of where he lay. During this tenure, Bo would also discover a passion for golf along with the many friendships the game would bring for the rest of his days.

Upon completion of his posting, Bo returned to Stockholm and served as the UD Press Secretary for a number of years. He then commenced his second posting as Ambassador and was appointed to Canberra, Australia and the surrounding Pacific region in 1989. He was again joined by Erik, who would eventually settle in Australia and Erik married Isadora Ayamiseba Heinebäck. Bo’s first grandchild, Kiki Heinebäck would be born in 1994.

While carrying out diplomatic duties in Canberra, and exploring as many golf clubs as he could find time to visit, Bo met his second wife, Katarina Landgren Heinebäck who was working at the French Embassy. Bo proposed to Katarina during a Hot Air Balloon trip in the early dawn light above Canberra, and they married in April 1994.

At the ending of apartheid and independence for South Africa, Bo was nominated and appointed as Ambassador directly from Australia to South Africa due to his success and prior experience in post independent Zimbabwe. He would later be joined by Katarina, and her two children; John and Emma Landgren in South Africa. In 1995, Bo and Katarina would have Bo’s second son Carl Heinebäck who was born in Capetown South Africa.

During his stint in South Africa, Bo’s second grandchild Axel Heinebäck was born in 1999 followed by his third grandchild Lakeisha Heinebäck in 2006. When he retired in 2002, Bo returned to Australia with his family from South Africa and settled in Canberra until 2014 when Bo and Katarina were divorced.

Bo spent his retirement and final years in an ‘Endless Summer’ between Sweden and Australia until his annual travels were impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. He would remain an avid golf fanatic, bookworm, enjoyed solving crosswords and painting portraits and landscapes, as well as his favourite pastime – spending days at his summer cottage in Löevbacka Sweden and hosting family and friends while satiating his “sweet tooth” with cookies and Swedish pastries. Bo would boast to those who knew him well that he was an “I.C.D.” = Ice Cream Digger! He always sought out and sampled locally made ice creams wherever his journeys took him throughout the world. One of his favourites in his later years was honey coated macadamia nuts in vanilla ice-cream.

He will be remembered as a loving and caring family man who was true to his word, gentle, kind, intelligent, full of humour and patriot to his beloved Sweden. He was loved by all; he will be deeply missed and his rich legacy never forgotten.