Percy Edward Kleidon's memory board

Family Eulogy Percy Kleidon - 7 December 1926 to 11 September 2012 Today we celebrate the life of Percy Edward Kleidon, our father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and endearing friend of many. Dad was born on the 7th December 1926 as the fourteenth child of Albert and Loise Kleidon. He was baptised in Toowoomba Hospital then lived on the family farm at Evergreen where he went to school until 1939, when the family moved to Chinchilla. He finished his schooling in the following year at Chinchilla after which he worked at various jobs until starting in the building trade in 1944. Dad enlisted in the Army on the 1st of January 1945 and served two years in the AIF where he was stationed at Townsville and eventually posted to Singleton. In the time after his army service finished in Newcastle, he met Doreen Leitch who became his wife in December 1948. Shortly after they were married, they moved back to Chinchilla where he completed his carpentry apprenticeship and formed part of the Kleidon Brothers Builders, with his brothers Herb, Albert and Fred, where they built homes in and around Chinchilla. 1966 saw the family, which had by this time grown to nine children, move from Chinchilla to Redcliffe. The hot dry conditions of Chinchilla did not agree with dad’s health and he often commented about when the nights would cool down in the early hours of the morning that the sea breeze had finally kicked in. Moving to the coast improved his health and he continued his building career qualifying as a Registered Builder. Working with his brother Albert for a short while, then being employed by Ronnie James, he eventually moved on to being self-employed where he built several houses on the Peninsula. Increasing health problems saw an early retirement and with the growing up and moving away of the kids, gave the opportunity for quality time for mum and dad, after the sometimes hard job of raising the family. Mum’s sudden passing in 1987 saw a change of direction for dad where he sold the family house in Margate and moved to Beechmont in the Gold Coast Hinterland and built his own home. His time at Beechmont saw him actively involved with his Gold Coast congregation and showed a side of him which we as his kids hadn’t seen. It would not be surprising to see dad spending hours on the ride-on mower or riding a motorbike up and down the hills and how he regained his green thumb with bountiful vege gardens where he consistently grew monster 5kg zucchinis and enough tomatoes to feed himself and his neighbours. At 70 dad moved back to Brisbane to be closer to the family and his church and moved back to the Peninsula twelve years ago. Only until recent years dad still kept busy with his woodworking and gardening, but later took on other interests to fill his days. His last days saw him as a very calm, humble man. In a quote from him describing his talents as a builder, he said he was a qualified carpenter, a reasonable cabinet maker and plumber but a lousy painter. The painting we can all agree with, but his building was first rate with a few of our houses showing the benefits of having a great chippie for a father. In the last few years dad had a peace of mind knowing that his time was not long for this world. The blessings he brought to our lives were given through a mix of philosophy, family history, a witty, dry sense of humour and a realistic humble view of the world for which we are all so thankful for. Manana dad!!!!