In Memoriam: Don Drummond

The Committee of the Woodend Winter Arts Festival is saddened by news of the death of one of our foundation members, Don Drummond, a dear friend to all of us, and we
offer our condolences to his family.

Don and his wife Sheila (who predeceased him by almost six and a half years) were
with us from 2003, during the early planning stages of the Festival, and it quickly
became clear that they were the people to take on the Words & Ideas component,
which they did with diligence and success for our first fifteen festivals (2005–2019).
Don continued to have considerable input following Sheila’s death, and he showed
an interest in our programming until the end. He and a handful of friends, whom we
knew as Don’s Coffee Group, also contributed a lot of physical work behind the
scenes over the years, assisting with the movement of instruments and setting up of
chairs in St Ambrose Church and Hall, and in the Community Centre and Norma
Richardson Hall.

Don was a well-known and much-loved member of our community. An inveterate
reader, he was always ready to discuss current affairs and a wide range of historical
and literary subjects. His championship of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius was
still active during recent visits to him. Don had also travelled widely, and he enjoyed
reflecting on the visits he had made to various parts of the world with his beloved
Sheila. His wisdom and wry sense of humour were appreciated by all.

We at the Woodend Winter Arts Festival were blessed to have Don in our lives and
as a member of our Committee. The event by which we have remembered Sheila
over the last few years will in future be the Don and Sheila Drummond Memorial
Lecture.

The Woodend Winter Arts Festival is a registered charity. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Donate here or visit our website for more information on how to donate.