The Warburton community is mourning the loss of the township’s last World War II veteran as Dick Leith passed away on Friday 21 May, aged 96.
The Leith family name has been embedded in the region’s history since the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until Dick returned from World War II that he began to make his own mark in the area.
Upon returning home, Dick worked in the timber industry and continued for about 30 years. He was one of three community members that purchased the privately-owned local golf club and transformed it into the Warburton Golf Club.
The Warburton legend was recognised for a lifetime of service to his community at Council’s Australia Day Awards ceremony last year.
Dick was a life member of the Warburton Football Club and the Warburton Golf Club, he volunteered on local primary school committees and the local scouts group.
He even excavated the original hole for the Warburton swimming pool with his logging machinery and helped establish the Warburton Community Bank.
Just last month, he took part in Warburton’s Anzac Day ceremonial march in his wheelchair.
Warburton RSL Sub Branch made a statement following his passing on Friday: “Dick will be sadly missed by all of the Warburton community, however, we thank him for his service, not only to the country but also to our town we call home.”
Dick’s friend John Carmichael pays tribute with a heartfelt letter to the editor on page 8.
To read more about Dick Leith’s remarkable life, see next week’s edition of Star Mail.
