THE Rosewood Uniting Church Hall and church grounds were filled with family and friends last Friday during the funeral of a man who was described as a community legend, mentor, teacher, family man and a true gentleman.
The funeral service commemorated the life of long term Rosewood resident, Arnold Rieck.
The man who would become known as a ‘community legend’ for his service to the town and beyond, was born in Ashgrove on August 29, 1932. He was the eldest of four children born to Olive Annie and Percy William Rieck.
Throughout his junior school years, he attended Ashgrove Primary School, before he transferred to Milton State School, where he gained a scholarship that enabled him to go on to senior school at Brisbane State High School.
Arnold enjoyed school and was always eager to learn. He enjoyed drawing maps, writing in old English print and had a real passion for mathematics and tables.
After completing his schooling years, Arnold set off to pursue his dream of becoming a school teacher. He studied at Teachers Training College and passed his exams with ease.
Arnold’s first one teacher school was Pioneer’s Rest near Maryborough, then Jundah in the Far Western Region, followed by Natural Bridge in the Numinbah Valley.
In 1959, he was appointed to Mount Walker before being transferred to Rosewood Secondary Department in 1964 where he taught until the Rosewood State High School opened in 1980.
His was a teaching career that was filled with many special moments, his students remember Arnold as being supportive, patient and a caring leader.
Horticulture was the most enjoyable subject that he taught to the senior students at Rosewood, and this gave him great fulfilment before he retired in 1989.
Arnold was also involved in the community through his involvement in the Rosewood Uniting Church, the Australian Native Plants Society, the Rosewood Scouts, the Rosewood District Protection Organisation, West Moreton Landcare and he was the Ipswich Branch Schoolwork steward at the Rosewood Show.
The Masons Gully Revegetation Project and the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum at Peace Park are two of his greatest achievements.
And in all of his personal achievements, involvement and contribution to community he has always been supported by his wife Joyce.
Arnold met Joyce (nee Armstrong) at a Congregational Youth Camp in Rosewood in 1958, when Joyce was working as a Private Secretary in Brisbane.
Joyce and Arnold were married at the Rosewood Uniting Church on August 13, 1960 and became the parents of five children, David, Russell, Stewart, Carol and Wendy.
In turn, they became the grandparents to 15 grandchildren, who are all education orientated, something that Arnold was very proud of.
Arnold loved to read, and was a strong and successful advocate for conserving the natural environment.
He is also remembered as a family man to whom family was everything and many family gatherings were shared by Arnold and Joyce’s children and grandchildren.
