The amount that Lindsay Sidwell packed into his life never ceased to amaze his partner.
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If he wasn't establishing electrical stores, he was off water or snow skiing, golfing, travelling or tending to his beloved garden.
"He was absolutely full on and so full of life," his wife, Lucky Sidwell reflected on Thursday.
Mr Sidwell died at a Sanctuary Cove, Queensland aged care facility on June 29. He was eighty-eight.
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He had been ill with bowel cancer and Parkinson's Disease for several years but had only been admitted to the facility six weeks ago when Lucky was no longer able to care for him.
Mr Sidwell's name is synonymous with the Sidwell's Goulburn electrical store, now Bi-Rite, in Auburn Street.
Born on July 5, 1932 he was the fifth-generation of his family in Goulburn. His father, Sid, ran the Mulwaree Private Hotel in Sloane Street but by 1935 he moved his business to a shop in the Tattersall's Hotel block after acquiring the freehold. Sid started selling radios before branching out to electrical goods.
It grew and in 1965 the business relocated to 214 Auburn Street, next to Russell Lane The building had extensive floor space and later, apartments up top.
Following his education at Saint Patrick's College, Lindsay undertook an electrical trades course at Goulburn Technical College in Bourke Street and on completion, began work with his father.
He took over the business in the 1960s and set his sights high. Mr Sidwell travelled to the US to study the Retravision model and became a founding member in Australia.
"He was so energetic," Lucky said.
"He started with nothing but had great ideas. Retravision ended up being 300 stores around the country so he did amazingly well."
These were all franchises but Sidwells always owned the Goulburn store, which was close to their heart. The staff were like family and many, like Brian Wright, were long-serving.
"The store has a family feel about it because people know there is always someone responsible for their well being," Mr Sidwell told The Post in 2009.
He became Retravision's CEO, the NSW chairman and also sat on its national board.
Lucky described him as a "natural-born" salesman who studied and loved the trade. Service was uppermost and he later spoke about travelling to Marulan to mount radio aerials for customers.
Mr Sidwell's only sibling, Ken, (known as Murphy) had Down Syndrome and this gave him insight into another side of life.
"He was always very helpful to people in trouble. He would quietly help out without telling people," Lucky said.
Mr Sidwell was active in the community as a Lions Club member, worked as a journalist and even had his own weekly radio program with 2GN.
In his leisure time, he took to the water as a barefoot skier and became NSW champion. He snow skied too and loved travelling overseas to pursue the sport. Golf was a passion, thanks in part to his strong friendship since school days with professional golfer, Bruce Devlin. Mr Devlin had officially opened the Sidwell's Goulburn store.
Mr Sidwell later moved from Goulburn to Sydney's Point Piper when he became Retravision chairman.
He retired some 30 years ago and in 2005 he and Lucky moved to Sanctuary Cove where he continued his golf and established an extensive garden at their home. Mr Sidwell was justly proud of winning the Sanctuary Cove garden competition three years running.
In 2009 he finally sold the Goulburn business to Kim and Scott Gann, letting go of a family institution.
"He loved Goulburn and always thought of himself as a Goulburnite,' Lucky said.
"He was a great one to stay in touch with his friends there."
Mrs Gann worked at Sidwell's Retravision from 1995 to 2002.
"It was a great family environment. When Lindsay would call into the shop, I felt he was very much larger than life," she said.
"He had a wonderful memory for customers' names and their families. Lindsay would always ask how each of us were going and how our families or partners were. He seemed to never age..He was a wonderful man and I will always remember him fondly."
Mr Sidwell is also survived by his children Joanne, Kristen, Lisa and Samantha.
His funeral service will be held at Braeside Chapel, 251 Gooding Drive, Merrimac, Queensland at 11am Monday, July 12. It will be live-streamed at https://livestream.com/videohouse/events/9746293 but will also be available for viewing for two years.
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
