Robert Louis Leedman was born in Kellerberrin, WA, to Charles, a surgeon, and Juliette Leedman on 23 February 1920. He had two sisters, Sue and Judy. From the age of seven years until he matriculated, Robert received his education at the Church of England Grammar School in Guildford, WA, matriculating in 1936. He then studied medicine at Melbourne University, graduated MB BS in June 1942, and returned to Western Australia for his intern training at the Royal Perth Hospital.

In April 1943 he joined the Australian Army Medical Corps at the rank of captain and served overseas in Borneo until the end of hostilities in 1945.

Following his discharge from the Army in February 1947 Robert furthered his medical training as a resident medical officer at the Royal Perth Hospital and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth during 1946 and 1947. He obtained his MRACP in 1948 and then studied under the tutelage of the then famous gastroenterologist, Sir Avery Jones, at the West Middlesex Hospital, London.

In late 1949 Robert returned to Perth and commenced private practice as a consultant general physician with a special interest in gastroenterology. He was appointed honorary consultant physician at the Fremantle and the Royal Perth Hospitals and resident physician at the Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood. In his chosen specialty Robert broke new ground in WA being the first to specialise in gastroenterology and to perform gastroscopies, in the days of the rigid gastroscope, a technique which he willingly taught to his colleagues.

Throughout his very successful career he continued his close association with the Royal Perth Hospital and the Repatriation General Hospital as a visiting physician until his retirement at age 65 years.

Robert’s contribution to medicine and medical politics in WA was far-sighted and far-reaching. He served in a number of executive capacities such as: Member of the Medical Board of WA for ten years, Chairman from 1977 to 1981; Member of the AMA (WA Branch) Council for nine years, president 1969; Chairman of the Medical Benevolent Committee of the AMA (WA) (He was also instrumental in developing the Medical Professions’ Superannuation Plan in WA); Member of the Board of Management of the Royal Perth Hospital 1976 to 1982, and several Board sub-committees over many years until his retirement; Inaugural Chairman of the Division of Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital.

As a physician, Robert was highly regarded by his peers. He was an excellent diagnostician and will be remembered for his great ability to communicate with his patients, never in a hurry and always concerned to help them feel at ease. Being an excellent communicator he was very highly regarded as a teacher by his students and colleagues.

In 1950 he married Joan Cameron, a nurse from Adelaide. They had two sons, Charles and Peter (FRACP, endocrinologist) and five grandchildren. Theirs was a united happy marriage for despite his many professional commitments, Robert was essentially a family man. He took great delight in playing with, and working with, his two sons and later with his grandchildren. He was a “Mr. Fix-It” of extraordinary energy and ability, a boat builder, a motor mechanic and a ham radio buff who built his own 40 foot radio tower, an expert hydroponics gardener and designer and builder of their home swimming pool, with assistance from his stalwart sons.

In quieter moments Robert was an avid reader and music lover. A lover of golf in his early years, he played on a handicap of eight. In later years in retirement he graduated to lawn bowls, which he enjoyed immensely. As was typical of Robert he soon proved to be both an above average bowler and a highly regarded club member.

Robert Leedman was a man with dark hair, of medium height and relatively slight build. He was bespectacled with a high forehead which receded even further as his hair became grey in his later years. His quizzical yet penetrating gaze and direct manner often concealed a very generous sense of humour. In all walks of life he was widely respected for his commonsense attitude, his integrity, honesty and fairness.

After a prolonged uncomplaining battle with malignancy he died on 2 May 1997, a patient in the Hollywood Private Hospital, his old stomping ground of 37 years.