Family farewells David Leckie

Family and close friends farewelled TV titan David Leckie at a private funeral yesterday.

The West Australian reports Skye Leckie, sons, Tim, Harry and Ben and his father Ron, 99, gathered to say goodbye at the COVID-restricted funeral at Sydney’s Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens Crematorium.

It was live streamed for those unable to attend.

There were plenty of references to his extraordinary television achievements, as boss of both Nine and Seven.

The Australian Financial Review reported Harry Leckie described him as an “adoring, sensitive father and husband who would drop everything to be there for us.”

He added, “Although he had another mistress for many years, and unfortunately for Dad she came in the shape of a square TV screen. His 23 years spent as CEO of Channel Seven and Channel Nine was his passionate love affair.

“He curated what Australians watched on a daily basis. And contrary to popular belief, he was a people person and understood the Australian psyche.”

There were messages from Seven’s commercial director Bruce McWilliam, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, CEO James Warburton, former Nine CEO Hugh Marks, former News Corp chairman John Hartigan, plus Tracy Grimshaw, Larry Emdur and Sonia Kruger.

Skye spoke of the tributes that have flooded in for her husband since his death on Tuesday, suggesting a celebration of someone’s life should be had before the person leaves us “because they go to their next life not necessarily knowing exactly how long and how revered they really are”.

She said her husband, who she referred to affectionately as “our Davo”, had spent the past year lamenting that he was irrelevant.

“And I’m telling you, after this week’s stories and testimonies to you Davo, that one word we would never say you are is irrelevant,” she said.

There were also plenty of family photos to highlight the close family unit.

Poignantly, the service ended to the sounds of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.