Forever within cooee with a tale to tell
Vale: Frederick Leslie (Les) Farmer (1929–2026)
by Cate Patterson
Les Farmer was, above all, a storyteller. His life was woven with the stories of a pioneering family, the land they worked, and the community they built in Montville.
Born in 1929, Les was the son of Frederick Leslie Farmer and Anetta Mabel, the youngest of the Vining family – early Montville settlers who made their home at Lands End, the far western end of Western Avenue. Les grew up with two younger sisters, Dorothy Annette and Lilian Maud, and a younger brother, Norman David. At just 12 years old, Les faced the heartbreak of losing his brother in 1942. Even as a boy, he took on responsibilities beyond his years, helping his mother run the banana farm opposite the Sportsground on Balmoral Road to support his sisters.
When his father left the family, 15-year-old Les was already working hard on the land. He was clever at school, quick to learn, and encouraged by his teachers to continue his education, but the needs of family and farm took priority. These were the war years, and Montville was home to Italian POWs and military activity. Les, ever enterprising, traded fresh fruit and vegetables with the POWs and soldiers for canned goods – a testament to his resourcefulness even as a teenager.
After the war, the family endured tough times. When his mother sold the farm, neighbours Artie and Madge Glover offered them a workers’ shack at the end of Mill Hill Road, where the Italian POWs had stayed. Les began work at Trevor Carter’s sawmill at 17, and the family eventually settled on Gaden Road. At 23, Les bought the house from his mother when she decided to leave Montville.
It was in these years that Les met Margaret Cassos, the ‘girl in blue’ at Manjalda Guesthouse, who would become his beloved wife.
Married in 1954, they started their life together in a small workers’ cottage on Gaden Road, soon expanding it as their family grew. Les and Margaret welcomed seven children: Karen, David, Neil, Linda, Noel, and twins Mark and Ian. All attended Montville State School, continuing the family’s deep ties to the community.
Les was at home behind the wheel of a truck, running his own small carrying business in Montville and later managing Tropical Fruit Transport, which at its peak had 22 semis on the road. He remembered the cream cans collected from local dairies and the camaraderie of working with friends. Even after selling his business in 1974, Les found new purpose working for Australia Post until his retirement.
Through it all, Les remained devoted to Margaret, supporting her many community achievements and sharing a partnership built on mutual pride and care. After Margaret passed away in August 2023, Les moved to Sundale in Nambour, but he never lost his connection to Montville. He reminisced about the landscape – how the trees had grown, the old dairy, the tracks he once drove. In July 2026, Les passed away after complications from a fall; his wishes to return to the Obi will ensure he remains close to where his grandparents first settled and where he and Margaret raised their family.
Les Farmer’s life was one of resilience, love, and stories – stories that shaped his family and his community. His memory will echo along Western Avenue and the hills of Montville, within cooee of home.