OBITUARY: Leslie Arthur Mannix. May 5, 1935-April 15, 2012.
FIREFIGHTERS from Wyndham’s CFA brigades lined Werribee’s Gibbons Street last week in a guard of honour for ‘CFA legend’ Leslie Mannix.
He died in St Vincent’s Hospital on April 15 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was surrounded by family.
Hundreds of mourners packed into the Werribee CFA station last Thursday to pay tribute to a great husband, father, grandfather, firefighter, band member and friend.
An old fire truck carried the coffin from the station to Werribee cemetery, with Werribee CFA members and the Clans-o’-the West Highlands Pipe Band leading the way.
Those who spoke at the funeral, reminisced about Mr Mannix’s love of jokes and stirring people.
His six grandchildren shared memories of jokes played on his wife Val, and being chased and teased by their beloved grandfather.
“Pa loved to stir. If there was something we were scared of, he would chase us with it,” they remembered.
“Pa was one of the greatest larrikins you have ever known and ever met. He was our hero.”
CFA colleagues Michael Wells, Darryl Wells and Alan Kendall spoke of tricks Mr Mannix played on his fellow firefighters, and the brigade’s regular fishing trips.
A member of the Werribee brigade for more than 50 years, Mr Mannix served as its first lieutenant for nine years from 1961, before spending eight years as second lieutenant.
In later years, he helped run training drills and looked after the station bar and kitchen.
In 1993, he was made a life member of the brigade and the CFA. He was also awarded the Victorian Urban Fire Brigade gold star. In 1985, Mr Mannix received a national medal and in 2000 was named the brigade’s fire fighter of the year.
His colleagues remembered him as fighting with guts, determination and dignity.
“As a firefighter, he was one of the best. He was quick to find the fire and would always fight to the end,” they said.
He was also remembered as a dedicated and loyal man, who had worked on a farm for the Edwards family for 30 years, fitting in two years national service in the mid-1950s.
Mr Mannix worked for 15 years with Werribee Shire’s parks and gardens team, retiring at age 60.
He married Val in December 1958, and the couple set up home in High Street, Werribee. It was at this property their two children, Jenny and Mark grew up.
Mr Mannix was also a member of the Clans-o’-the West Highlands Pipe Band for more than 20 years. Band members remembered his love of playing unconventional songs, as well as songs he knew that other members disliked.
Mr Mannix is survived by wife Val, children Mark and Jenny, and grandchildren, Melissa, Ashlea, Matthew, Rhys, Joshua and Luke.
