grow in the Lord, become more refined and more perfect.
“The New Church has made us – not new people, but better versions of
the people we already were. And I am so incredibly reassured that even the
most treacherous, Judas-like parts of me are part of the Lord’s plan, and will be
rehabilitated and made perfect with the Lord in heaven.
“The Lord gave Les the power of transformation – the ability to transform
a guilty pleasure into a diamond, to transform the Christmas story into a
tragedy and Good Friday into a celebration, to transform an enemy into a
neighbor, and to transform the lowest, meanest part of us into something
sublime.”
Les’s son Richard also offered a brief eulogy, including: After his schooling
at South Melbourne Technical College, “he became a mechanic for the Ken
Tyrrell racing team. Dad loved traveling the world on the Formula 1 circuit.
He never lost the love of motor racing or all things fast.”
Richard said he married and moved his family to Brisbane, working as a
car salesman for several years. He then decided to join the ministry, training
in England and America.
Richard added: “He enjoyed his tie in the New Church and in particular
this little church in Rosalie, where he touched and enriched many lives before
his retirement.”
•
Bill Thomas – also known as Billy T. – was a friend since
high school. But then he was a friend to everyone. His
fun-loving spirit and infectious laugh, his New Church
character and integrity, made for easy connections and
everyone loved him. He was a wonderful athlete. I played
many years of softball and golf with him, but far more than
his athletic prowess I admired and respected him as the
walking model of a true sportsman.
As Bishop Brian Keith said in his memorial service, Bill spent many years
volunteering as a football coach for the unheralded linemen at the Academy,
not only teaching them how to serve the team but “showing them how to be
the men the Lord intended them to be.” He had an enormous positive influence
on countless young men and they are forever blessed to have had him as their
teacher.
He came to the Boys School from Pittsburgh, graduating in 1955, and
then from the Academy College, where he was the class valedictorian. He –
with his wife Phyllis (Stroemple) – made a connection with the Academy and
the Church that lasted throughout his life.
He helped coach the football team for almost 30 years and was the Academy
athletic director for three years – teaching skills, modeling sportsmanship, and
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