The late Dr Frederick Shaw Burton, known as Fred, left an extraordinary legacy that will continue to live on through his generosity for many years to come.
[Dr Frederick Shaw Burton with his daughter Belinda]
After spending holidays in Nelson Bay, in the late 1960’s Fred moved his family from Sydney to the small town to become the first full-time dentist there.
It wasn’t long before Fred started to help families who couldn’t really afford dental care. Fred would treat a whole family and be paid with a box of vegetables or a basket of seafood, which he always graciously accepted.
Fred had been a supporter of Vision Australia (previously the Royal Blind Society) since 1979.
Not long after Fred passed, Vision Australia received notification that Fred had included a generous gift in his Will. Fred had made the thoughtful decision to continue to help future generations of people living with blindness or low vision.
Fred’s daughter, Belinda, describes her father as a man of great compassion, faith and kindness. He lived small so he could be generous to others.
He was a man whose legacy continues to live on and inspire others.
Too late to say thank you
As an organisation, we are deeply grateful for the gifts we receive from people like Fred. We dearly would have loved to have had the opportunity to thank Fred in person, to recognise him during his lifetime and show him how his generous gift would be used to positively impact on the lives of many. Unfortunately, we couldn’t, and it was too late to say thank you.
A gift in your Will is an extension of a lifetime of commitment to a cause you have believed in. For many it is the largest and most important gift they will make. A gift in your Will to Vision Australia will be deeply appreciated and ensure that our services for people who are blind or have low vision will continue for generations to come.
Please, if you have left a gift in your Will to Vision Australia let us know so we can say thank you. If you are thinking about doing so and have any questions, please call us on 1800 422 077. All information will be treated with the utmost respect and confidentiality.