A TIRELESS worker, both in her professional capacity and as a dog breeder and judge, who endeared herself to all who came in contact with her.
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They are the common themes of the tributes paid to Bathurst woman, Leonie Darling, who was killed in a tragic accident on Thursday morning.
Ms Darling, aged 54, died when a heavy vehicle lost its load of steel three kilometres west of Bathurst on the Mitchell Highway, just before 9am.
The steel fell on Ms Darling’s car, crushing the front. She died at the scene.
Ms Darling had been employed as manager of Bathurst Meals on Wheels and Central West Food Services for almost 10 years.
The group’s board of management chairman Gary Wright yesterday said staff, volunteers and clients were stressed and traumatised by news of her death.
“Leonie worked tirelessly as the manager of the service,” he said.
“She turned the service into a professional and competently-run business which ultimately supplied an excell-ent food service to the Meals on Wheels clients of the Bathurst local government area, as well as client services throughout NSW and the ACT.”
Mr Wright said Ms Darling endeared herself to all who came in contact with her.
“She was a good mentor and manager of staff and she had a very good relationship with the volunteers that the service relies on so heavily,” he said.
Constantly working to promote the service, Ms Darling issued a challenge to the city’s businesses in the Western Advocate on Thursday in an effort to reinvigorate the corporate volunteer program and boost volunteer numbers.
“In her peer group of Meals on Wheels managers and co-ordinators throughout the state, Leonie was very well thought of,” Mr Wright said.
“She spent a period serving as chairperson of the NSW organisation of Meals on Wheels, the group’s peak body.
“Her background was in food service management, working in health care in both the government and non-government sectors.”
Outside work, Ms Darling’s passion was breeding, exhibiting and judging dogs.
Fellow championship judge, exhibitor and breeder of pedigree dogs, Don Mahoney of Mudgee, said that, as a judge, Ms Darling was acclaimed locally and internationally.
“As a breeder, she has been the doyen of the Swedish Vallhund breed in this country,” he said.
“She was dedicated to the breed, investing heavily in imported dogs from Scandinavia.
“Leonie showed outstanding sportsmanship in the competition ring, whether she won or lost.”
He said Ms Darling was known as a person who was “always ready to assist in difficult times”.
