DEATH OF PATRICK LEEMAN

Veteran journalist Patrick Leeman died on Monday (September 12, 2011) in the frail-care section of The Association for the Aged on the Ridge. He was 71 and had been fighting heart problems and cancer.

He was a familiar figure at orchestral and classic music concerts as well as theatre and dance productions, even after he retired from The Mercury where his work involved coverage of the arts. He also contributed a number of reviews to artSMart.

The following extract is from an article appearing in The Mercury on September 14 which acknowledges Leeman as being “cheerful, deeply religious and passionate about arts and music”.

“The eldest of four brothers, Leeman spent most of his life in journalism and had dedicated himself to Catholicism,” the article continues.” His brother Kevin, who will arrive in Durban from the UK tomorrow, said Leeman had followed in the footsteps of their father, who was also a journalist at The Mercury.

“Despite starting out as a teacher, and also spending a year at a seminary with the hopes of becoming a priest, Leeman was drawn to the written profession by his love for the arts, music, culture and politics.

“He joined The Mercury in the late 1960s and, apart from writing about the arts, was also involved in writing about politics. He was also the newspaper’s Zululand correspondent.”

The funeral is expected to take place at Emmanuel Cathedral next week, date to be advised.