Scotch Reports Issue 178 (December 2020)

05
VALE LYLE SAYCE (’52)
Lyle Sayce was a student at Scotch College
from 1941 to 1952. During his time at school,
Lyle was a Prefect, House Captain of
McGregor, a Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps
and a member of the Debating Society
Senior Team. He also enjoyed playing sport;
including football for the First XVIII and as
a swing bowler in the First XI cricket team.
In one game against Teachers’ College, Lyle
took 5/17.
Former classmates Robert Craig and
John Simpson remember Lyle was always
very humble of his achievements. Robert
in particular, remembers Lyle as a good
person, quiet, steady and kind, and that
he did not enjoy facing Lyle’s bowling in
the nets.
After leaving school Lyle went straight into
the SA Public Service, working in the Woods
and Forests Department. He studied
accountancy at night school at the School
of Mines, which became the SA Institute
of Technology and is now Uni SA. While at
school, Lyle was best mates with Robert
Lester and ended up marrying Robert’s
sister, Torie. They had four children; all of
whom went to Scotch College in later years.
In 1969 the family moved to Port Moresby
and Lyle worked for the PNG Housing
Commission as an accountant. In 1977
the family moved to Darwin where Lyle
worked in the Commonwealth Public
Service as the Legislation Officer for the
Department of Education. In 1986 Lyle
returned to Adelaide and in his last job
before his retirement, he worked as an
auditor for the Department of Defence
Headquarters in Keswick.
Throughout his working life, Lyle was a
keen amateur thespian and performed
in many plays in Adelaide, Port Moresby,
and Darwin. He was also an active
member of the Port Moresby Pistol
Shooting Club. He also spent many
years presenting jazz programs on radio
stations in Darwin and Adelaide and was
a committee member
of the Jazz Action Society, instrumental
in fundraising Radiothons raising money
to support the Voluntary Radio Stations.
During his retirement, Lyle was Santa,
firstly at John Martins in The Magic Cave
and later at David Jones. He became a
Civil Celebrant in the mid-nineties and
continued until about 2007.
In June of this year, Lyle was admitted to
the RAH with pneumonia type symptoms.
It was during the transfer back from the
hospital to the nursing home that his heart
gave out.
A peaceful and painless end to a good man
who lived a good life.
THE SAYCE FAMILY
05 Lyle Sayce pictured with fellow Prefects
(1952)
REUNIONS
On the weekend of 7-9 August, four Old
Collegians and their wives spent time
at Gum Creek Station, via Blinman, to
celebrate the traditional Blinman Old
Collegians Dinner. Had the occasion been
officially scheduled it would have been the
43rd year for the celebration.
As on the previous year our
accommodation was 'The Lodge’ at Gum
Creek Station, our hosts Bill and Jane
MacIntosh. Those in attendance - Richard
and Diane Willson, Andrew and Anita
Just, John and Barb Pascoe and Donald
and Sally Willson.
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