In memoriam : Leslie Walter Marshall: 1944 – 2024

Abstract

Leslie Marshall was born on 27 September 1944 in Benoni, Gauteng where he lived with his parents and two sisters. He began his schooling at the Northmead Primary School, Benoni and later attended the Groot Marico Primary and Secondary Schools, North-West Province. Leslie matriculated at the Klerksdorp High School. Leslie attended the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education for his first year of study and then went on to study Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort, Pretoria University where he graduated as a veterinarian in 1967. After graduating, Leslie served as a State Veterinarian in Kroonstad for a year. In 1969 he moved to Welkom where he started is own small animal practice as a service to the community. In 1970 he built a large, modern veterinary hospital which was known as the OFS Animal & Avian Hospital. When Leslie first started practising in Welkom he worked closely with the local SPCA as an additional service to the community. A few years later Leslie established a satellite practice, also known as the OFS Animal & Avian Hospital, in the neighbouring mining town of Virginia, Free State Province. Early in his career, Leslie was married for a relatively short period with the marriage ending in a divorce and with no children being born from the marriage. In September 2014, Leslie married Juanita Barnard. They had no children. Leslie’s entire career was dedicated to providing the highest possible quality of professional service to the community and their animals.