Today is the anniversary of the death of a local man, Leo Naughton. The following verse was written in his honor by me, his childhood friend – Tony Bozich:-
Tony Bozich and Leo Naughton
Someone said, “Leo Naughton is dead”,
my friend of nine years schooling,
who never a nasty word said
whether at school or football or fooling.
In Kal we both lived in Brookman Street
close to the police, brewery, churches and knockers,
an odd lot to have on the one beat,
like putting a ladies choir with rockers.
So we lived close until about age ten
when I shifted to the Dingbat Flat set,
but we were schoolmates to age fourteen when
he left school and we rarely again met.
Leo’s Dad’s woodyard, his verses, his brothers
are three memories I treasure among others.
Leo Francis NAUGHTON was buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery on the 2nd September 1989 aged 50yrs
Moya Sharp
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This is a lovely way – a poem – to remember a friend who now lays in the cemetery.. Leo was my father – whom I did not get to know so well.. family Dynamics.. although I think of him often – we are very much alike.. it is always nice to rekindle the flame of people that now only exists in our hearts & minds.. it is good to know the flame is still alight..
& it exits in me.. Lisa Maree.. x
Moya, Leo had a rare sense of humour and I remember him with fondness from CBC and playing together round Brookman St and our junior footy meetings – I think he was at Kangas while I, having moved to Boulder, was at Diorites. My recollection is that he played at East Fremantle in the then very strong WANFL. Leo and I also had as classmates the late Jim Reidy, also a splendid footballer, and Joe Fanchi who kicked the winning goal against Victoria in the 1961 Australian Football Carnival if my memory is correct.
It may be of interest to readers to know that Leo Naughton’s family residence was maybe slightly east of where Coles is in Brookman St that is about halfway between Wilson and Cassidy. Opposite their residence was the Kalgoorlie Hannans Brewery. My recollection is that Leo had two brothers and one sister.