Bushfires: Adelaide Hills victim Ron Selth ‘a generous, loving man’

Adelaide Hills man Ron Selth, 69, is being remembered as a loving and generous man.

Cudlee Creek bushfire victim Ron Selth. Picture: Facebook

Adelaide Hills man Ron Selth, 69, is being remembered as a loving and generous man after his body was found at his Charleston property following Friday’s bushfire.

In a statement provided by his family, Mr Selth was described as a man with an “incredible passion for life”.

“He was young at heart, manifested by frequent wrestles and horsey-rides with his grand­children,” the family told Adelaide newspaper The Advertiser.

Mr Selth left behind his partner Suzy, his children Johanna, Luke and Jasmine and their partners Lachlan, Jo and Scott, and his six grandchildren.

“Ron was a loving, optimistic and generous man, who valued his relationships with family and friends more than anything else,” they said.

“He built a highly successful engineering business that contributed to the design of thousands of buildings in SA, mainly in the ­Adelaide Hills, and is often describe­d as having a unique and unforgettable character.”

One of those unique characteristics was his strong hugging.

“He will be remembered for his incredible — sometimes injury- causing — hugs and will be deeply missed by his family and his many friends,” the family said.

“Some people give firm hugs — I don’t know what’s beyond firm, but that’s what Dad occasionally delivered. When he gave a hug, he meant it.”

Mr Selth’s body was found at his Charleston property in the aftermath of the bushfire.

Police believe that he was defendin­g his property when he was killed.

The Cudlee Creek fire has now burned more than 25,000ha across the Adelaide Hills.

It remains uncontrolled, along with two blazes that have burned more than 9500ha at Menzies­ and Duncan on Kangaroo ­Island.