Tireless community worker dies

Many will be saddened by the passing of Les Mitchell in Gosford Hospital on September 7 after a long illness.

Les was well known and well respected within the community for his tireless community work.

The past couple of years have been very traumatic for his wife Lorna and his family as they watched Les deteriorate in health.

Lorna and Les lived all their married life in Ettalong and could think of no better place to live and bring up their three children.

They were married for 53 years.

Les was a man that put his hand out to all that were in need of a helping hand.

If he saw a need within the community, he saw to that need.

He asked for nothing in return as Les believed that if you focus on your family, your friends and the needs of others, doing the very best you can to help them in life, happiness will find you.

Happiness, did find him.

He had Lorna and three much-wanted children in his life who loved him unconditionally.

Les was a Central Coast boy, the eldest of five children, attending school in Gosford for a time.

During the Depression, he lived with his grandparents at Milford, attending school there. Living through the Depression, he saw and had many hard times.

At 13 years of age, Les worked on a milk run.

The next year, he left school but he never stopped educating himself.

He was well read in many subjects, always reading to better himself.

Les and Lorna met at Gosford Hospital where they both worked. Lorna was 16 years of age.

Their love flourished at the Madison Dance Hall.

If you were to ask Lorna about her marriage she would say, "I had 53 years of the best marriage anyone could have had."

Towards the end of the war and at 17 years of age, Les joined the Navy looking to better himself in life.

He served on the HMAS Kanimbla following the fall of Japan, bringing home the occupational forces.

He would have seen a lot of sadness.

The Navy gave him the opportunity to train as a chef.

He used this skill later in life as a chef in Queensland.

One part of his working life he was a railway fireman then moving on to work for Gosford Council as a security officer.

Les was a foundation member of the Patonga Bush Fire Brigade, a Scout master teaching scouts bush craft, Skipper of the Woy Woy Sea Scouts, a member of the Coastal Patrol, gun club captain and secretary, and also a member of the fishing club.

He also found time to be a volunteer at the local community centre where he drove the community bus for 13 years.

He loved Christmas at the community centre, because each year he played Santa for the kids.

Les also supervised the Work for the Dole scheme at the community centre.

Relaxation to Les was to listen to country and western music, play golf, going to dances, giving parties and going to parties.

Together Les and Lorna traveled extensively all over Australia.

You name the place he had been to it.

Les is survived by Lorna his wife, his children Chris Mitchell, Debbie Thompson and Doug Mitchell, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren, as well as his brother Kevin and his sisters June, Yvonne and Eileen.

The funeral took place on September 13 at Greenways Chapel and Memorial Gardens, Green Point.

Les Mitchell - December 3, 1928 - September 7, 2007

Diana Johnston Umina Beach