Lawrence ‘Laurie’ Weisheit
Lawrence Ernest “Laurie” Weisheit, a longtime Tiburon resident who was active in the Rotary Club of Tiburon-Belvedere, died suddenly of a heart attack on June 21, 2010, while traveling in Norway.
Mr. Weisheit and his wife Libby had been enjoying a driving trip through the Scandinavian countries and were about to board a ship to Kirkenes, Norway, above the Arctic Circle, when he was stricken.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Weisheit was a boy during World War II. At one point, Mr. Weisheit and his sister and brother were sent into the countryside for several weeks until the threat of a Japanese invasion of Australian ports eased.
He received a degree in commerce from Melbourne University and also studied psychology. In his 20s, he moved from teaching to the field of counseling to business.
When he was 27, he and a friend embarked on a three-year travel and work adventure to Canada and the United States and beyond. Mr. Weisheit taught children with behavioral problems in London, chauffered an African ambassador in Washington, D.C., and drove all over the U.S., Mexico, Europe and the Middle East and India before returning to Australia.
He met his wife, Libby Hosking, aboard a ship from Melbourne to London. They were married in 1971 and settled in Mill Valley, where they began raising a family.
Mr. Weisheit went to work as a salesman for Transport International Pool, a semi-trailer leasing company. The Weisheits moved to Philadelphia and lived there from 1977 to 1998. In the 1980s, Mr. Weisheit ran his company’s European division from Philadelphia.
The Weisheits loved to travel. He and his wife took their children through Europe and to their home countries. His own business travel took him around the globe. After the Weisheits retired, they built a home in Tiburon and embarked on travel adventures in Africa, China, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Mr. Weisheit was active in the Rotary Club and went on missions of Rotaplast to El Salvador and India, assisting the organization’s plastic surgeons, who correct disfiguring birth defects in children. Weisheit and others would serve as gophers for the medical team. Back home, he also worked hard on fundraising for Rotaplast.
He volunteered with the Tiburon Boulevard media beautification team pulling weeds and he and his wife were Broom Busters on the Old St. Hilary Open Space Preserve. They also pitched in with Rotary volunteers who helped on Coastal Cleanup Days.
“A hands-on, proud father and a romantic husband, Laurie always seized any chance to dance and sing,” said his family. “His enthusiastic renditions of Australian folk songs, Gilbert & Sullivan tunes and operatic arias encouraged even nonsingers to join in. He loved to share his table and his homes with friends, family and travelers from around the world.”
He and his wife enjoyed collecting ethnic arts and crafts. He enjoyed going to movies, operas, musical events and had even attended a few Burning Man festivals in his desire to enjoy new experiences.
Mr. Weisheit is survived by his wife, Libby Weisheit of Tiburon; three children, Mark Weisheit of Hermosa Beach, Tanya Weisheit of San Francisco and John Weisheit of Denver; a sister, Beverly Watupongoh of Melbourne; a brother, Graeme Weisheit of Melbourne; and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A celebration of his life has been held. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Rotaplast International, 3317 26th St., San Francisco, CA 94110.