Clacton News
Tributes to Kirby stalwart and 'man of the soil'
2:29pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012
A KIRBY-LE-SOKEN stalwart who manned the village’s garage for 55 years has died.
Sidney Leonard was born into a Suffolk farming family, before moving to Barnards Farm in Thorpe.
He joined the Home Guard when he was just 15, before signing up to the army aged 17 in 1943.
Mr Leonard was a driver with the Royal Artillery, and saw service in Normandy after the D-Day landings and Burma in 1945.
After being demobbed, he moved to Kirby-le-Soken, and started working at the village’s garage with John Oxborrow in 1950.
Mr Leonard worked at the garage for 55 years until it closed in 2005, when he retired aged 79.
He married wife Pam in 1961 and the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary together last year.
Mr Leonard stayed true to his farming roots, and was described by his family as “a man of the soil”.
He remained fit and healthy until he died of a sudden heart attack, aged 86.
He leaves behind wife Pam, sons Stephen, Kevin and Colin, and granddaughter Katie.
Colin said: “I think he will be remembered by a lot of people for his little acts of kindness and generosity, and nothing was too much trouble.
“We will all miss him dearly but hold many proud and happy memories.
“We would like to thank everybody who attended the funeral and shared their fond memories and respects.”