Shock death of former Gympie region councillor

Region mourns death of father, farmer, and community stalwart.

AS COOLOOLA Shire Council's first deputy mayor and a vice-president of Meals on Wheels, David Arthur Anderson's legacy stretches wide across the Gympie region.

David was born on September 26, 1949 to Herbert and Shirley Anderson. He was joined a few years later by his only sibling, Fay.

He was born in Gympie, but moved around between Mooloo, Wamuran and Kingaroy.

LOVED: David and Margaret Anderson. Son Chris says this was the last photo taken of his father and "he just loved it”. Picture: Contributed

The family moved back to Mooloo in 1954.

David attended the Mooloo and Pie Creek primary schools, before moving on to Gympie State High School.

Work called him away from school after he completed Year 10 when he went to work on the dairy farm with his parents.

Life was by no means confined to the dairy farm for David. He joined Rural Youth, a decision that would take him overseas on many occasions including an exchange trip to the United Kingdom.

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He formed many long-lasting and deep-flowing friendships from his time in Rural Youth.

David re-met the love of his life, Margaret, in 1975. Though they attended high school together, and both shared a dairy farming heritage, their paths would not truly cross until 1975.

They married in 1976.

David quickly became dad to Margaret's children, Brett and Racheal. They welcomed Sue to the family in 1978 and Chris in 1984.

David Anderson on the 1991-94 Widgee Shire Council (back, sixth from left) with fellow councillors (back, from left) Cr J.E. Armitage, Cr L.S. Hanson, Cr A.R. Adams, Cr. G.S. Moore, Cr N.R. Ellis, Cr R.M. Priebe, Cr C.C. Colburn, Cr L.J. Friske, (front) Mr N.J. Harington, Mr D.S. Slatter, Cr A.D. McClintock, Cr M.T. Dower, and Cr J.A. Walker. Picture: Contributed

Giving to the community was never far from his mind. He assisted in the formation of the Gympie-Cooloola Rotary Club, of which he was president in 1982.

Local Government soon came knocking. He was elected to the Widgee Shire Council in 1991 and enjoyed the challenge that Local Government presented. When the Gympie City and Widgee Shire councils amalgamated, he stood again, and was re-elected.

In that term he was elected unopposed as the first deputy mayor of the newly formed Cooloola Shire Council. He was again re-elected to council in 1997.

At the time David first stood for council, the position was part-time but by the end, the demands of being a councillor were much more than that of a part-time job.

David was alive to the need for continuing change in ideas and thinking, and so he felt that it was an opportune time for him to return to full-time dairy farming and did not seek re-election in 2000.

Dairy farming was a huge part of David's life.

Both he and Margaret operated a large dairy farm in Mooloo.

They were both recognised as leaders in the field, retiring from the industry in 2004, when they both turned 55.

Retirement didn't slow them, though - in fact, they became quite the avid travellers.

Each year they would travel to different parts of Australia and the world.

David had booked trips for later this year, and next year.

He volunteered with Gympie Meals on Wheels for several years, and became vice-president, and more recently both he and Margaret joined the Probus Club.

His children and grandchildren were a source of constant joy.

He loved his grandchildren -Olivia, Troy, Cameron, Matthew, Dominic, Chloe, Andrew, Mackenzie and Shirley - and would often be talking about their achievements.

David was suddenly taken from his loved ones, suffering a heart attack on Monday, September 23. His loving wife was by his side at the time.

He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

His funeral will be held at Gympie Funerals, 236 Brisbane Road, Gympie at 10am on Tuesday, October 1.

Originally published as Shock death of former Gympie region councillor