Woronora community honours long-time champion and leader Norm Dixon following death at 90

A funeral service at Woronora Memorial Park on Tuesday morning will be followed in the afternoon by an "Honouring of Norm" celebration of his life in Prince Edward Park.

Mr Dixon, who died on May 11, lived in Woronora from the age of six and fought many battles to preserve the valley's natural environment, which he treasured.

He joined the Woronora Progress Association, since renamed the Woronora Valley Residents Association, in 1971 and was the president for decades.

Mr Dixon was a member of Woronora Life Saving and River Patrol Club for 83 years and one of the foremost organisers for many of those years.

He also served as a volunteer in the Woronora Bush Fire Brigade and was involved in Bushcare at Forbes Creek and Crescent Creek.

A group, which gathered on the weekend to take on the challenge of trying to sum up Mr Dixon's rich life, wrote that Australia was emerging from the Great Depression when he moved with his family to Woronora in 1936.

"In those days, Woronora was a poor, working-class area and hotbed of political ideas," they wrote.

"There were communists, socialists, unionist, and internationalists.

"In his early 20s, Norm joined the Communist Party. His commitment to working class ideals continued till the end.

"His strong connection to Woronora was developed as he explored the bushland, fished, canoed, and swam in the river.

"Norm adored the valley's natural environment and for most of his adult life campaigned against environmental degradation, particularly at the local government level, through a wide variety of groups and organisations.

"Norm completed his Intermediate Certificate and then worked as a wood machinist moving to a variety of associated jobs and finally to self-employment.

"He loved a good protest and, since the 60s, there have been many causes - anti-Vietnam War, peace rallies on Palm Sunday, nuclear disarmament, Franklin River, rainforest logging, Aboriginal Rights and May Day.

"Norm was very proud of his family, including his six children and 21 grandchildren."

Sutherland Shire Council's local history team recorded Mr Dixon's memories for its oral history collection.

The library notes say Mr Dixon's "political skills were developed from an early age through contact with members of the Communist Party of Australia, who resided at Woronora during the Depression".

"In 1953, Norm joined the party and became acquainted with the counter-culture literature in the tradition of Henry Lawson.

"As a result, he used poetry as a vehicle to effectively inform and persuade during countless campaigns.

"Norm started work as an apprentice woodwork machinist, moving to a variety of associated jobs and finally to self employment for more than 20 years in the Woronora Valley."