Obituary for Lloyd Leadbeater
LEADBEATER, Lloyd:
Lloyd Leadbeater was born March 9, 1923 in Toronto. He died of natural causes May 15, 2020 after a full and rewarding life. He was predeceased by his high school sweetheart Jo (Josephine Mary), his wife of 66 years who died December 2, 2009; his brother Arthur and sister Gladys. Lloyd was the proud father of Murray (Lucinda), Dale, and Eric (Cheryl); grandfather of Meghan, Ian, Paul, Sean, Christopher, Jason and Riane; and great grandfather to a flock of ten great grandchildren.
In his youth he was a football and hockey player, and cyclist. As his life progressed, he became a tool and die maker, business man, pioneer and innovator in the plastics industry and the long-time President of Toronto Plastics (“The future is plastics my son!”). He took up flying out of Buttonville Airport until Jo made him quit. A shy man, he took on teaching at George Brown College and oversaw the installation of an injection molding machine at the Ontario Science Centre.
He was an experienced outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman and bulldozer owner and operator at Harcourt Park, the location of the family cottage since 1961. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the cottager’s association for 41 years and President for 37, Lloyd built bridges, installed culverts, led nature walks, removed beaver dams and pulled hapless cottagers out of the ditch on countless occasions. His was the genius behind the building of the Community Centre that now bears his name. His passion for the area drew him to Dysart Municipal Council where he served as a councillor and Deputy Reeve for a total of 12 years ensuring that cottagers in the Park were fairly represented. In 2005, Lloyd and Dale with Murray’s skills, built an energy efficient home near Raven Lake outside of Kirkfield. Here he applied his knowledge of technology, re-designing systems, master-minding projects and welcoming guests. He maintained the property with his tractor, chainsaw and self-designed shrub-puller and even built deluxe bat houses into his 98th year. He contributed to the restoration of the Museum in Kirkfield while serving on the Board of the Kirkfield and District Historical Society. Lloyd’s love of the natural world led him first to Pickering Naturalists, then to the Kawartha Field Naturalists and the Couchiching Conservancy where he was an active member, making many new friends.
Lloyd’s contributions are further detailed in:
• Canadian Inventors and Innovators 1885 to 1950: Pioneering Plastics by Donald W. Emmerson (1978);
• Canadian Plastics Pioneers 1950-2000 by Kara Kuryllowicz (2017);
• Harcourt Park, Fifty Years of Stewardship and Beyond by J. Alan Wargo (2010); and,
• Member’s Interview with Lloyd Leadbeater by John Bick, in Heron’s Watch (2020) available at kawarthafieldnaturalists.org
Above all, Lloyd was a family man who cherished his wife Jo and their ever-growing family. Three weeks prior to his death, Lloyd was operating his Kubota tractor and changing the oil in his ride-on lawnmower. His was a life well lived – right until the end. Heartfelt thanks to all who cared for Lloyd, including Heather Benson and June Combden, the faithful Paramed nurses and the outstanding nurses and doctors at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. The family would appreciate donations to the hospital or to Couchiching Conservancy http://www.couchichingconserv.ca in remembrance of Lloyd. An opportunity to share via video-conferencing is coming, and when we are safe again, a big party! On line or video condolences, video or online donations please visit www.jardinefuneralhome.com
Lloyd Leadbeater was born March 9, 1923 in Toronto. He died of natural causes May 15, 2020 after a full and rewarding life. He was predeceased by his high school sweetheart Jo (Josephine Mary), his wife of 66 years who died December 2, 2009; his brother Arthur and sister Gladys. Lloyd was the proud father of Murray (Lucinda), Dale, and Eric (Cheryl); grandfather of Meghan, Ian, Paul, Sean, Christopher, Jason and Riane; and great grandfather to a flock of ten great grandchildren.
In his youth he was a football and hockey player, and cyclist. As his life progressed, he became a tool and die maker, business man, pioneer and innovator in the plastics industry and the long-time President of Toronto Plastics (“The future is plastics my son!”). He took up flying out of Buttonville Airport until Jo made him quit. A shy man, he took on teaching at George Brown College and oversaw the installation of an injection molding machine at the Ontario Science Centre.
He was an experienced outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman and bulldozer owner and operator at Harcourt Park, the location of the family cottage since 1961. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the cottager’s association for 41 years and President for 37, Lloyd built bridges, installed culverts, led nature walks, removed beaver dams and pulled hapless cottagers out of the ditch on countless occasions. His was the genius behind the building of the Community Centre that now bears his name. His passion for the area drew him to Dysart Municipal Council where he served as a councillor and Deputy Reeve for a total of 12 years ensuring that cottagers in the Park were fairly represented. In 2005, Lloyd and Dale with Murray’s skills, built an energy efficient home near Raven Lake outside of Kirkfield. Here he applied his knowledge of technology, re-designing systems, master-minding projects and welcoming guests. He maintained the property with his tractor, chainsaw and self-designed shrub-puller and even built deluxe bat houses into his 98th year. He contributed to the restoration of the Museum in Kirkfield while serving on the Board of the Kirkfield and District Historical Society. Lloyd’s love of the natural world led him first to Pickering Naturalists, then to the Kawartha Field Naturalists and the Couchiching Conservancy where he was an active member, making many new friends.
Lloyd’s contributions are further detailed in:
• Canadian Inventors and Innovators 1885 to 1950: Pioneering Plastics by Donald W. Emmerson (1978);
• Canadian Plastics Pioneers 1950-2000 by Kara Kuryllowicz (2017);
• Harcourt Park, Fifty Years of Stewardship and Beyond by J. Alan Wargo (2010); and,
• Member’s Interview with Lloyd Leadbeater by John Bick, in Heron’s Watch (2020) available at kawarthafieldnaturalists.org
Above all, Lloyd was a family man who cherished his wife Jo and their ever-growing family. Three weeks prior to his death, Lloyd was operating his Kubota tractor and changing the oil in his ride-on lawnmower. His was a life well lived – right until the end. Heartfelt thanks to all who cared for Lloyd, including Heather Benson and June Combden, the faithful Paramed nurses and the outstanding nurses and doctors at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. The family would appreciate donations to the hospital or to Couchiching Conservancy http://www.couchichingconserv.ca in remembrance of Lloyd. An opportunity to share via video-conferencing is coming, and when we are safe again, a big party! On line or video condolences, video or online donations please visit www.jardinefuneralhome.com