VETERAN accountant and Bendigo High School Alumni, Donald Washington, celebrated his 80th birthday on Monday.
Mr Washington still works with the accounting firm he established in 1966 as Seeber and Washington Charted Accountants. The firm is now known as SWR Financial Group.
Mr Washington and his wife, Judith, had four children (Bernice, Keith, Gaye and Cynthia). Bernice, Keith and Gaye all attended Bendigo High School.
Outside of work, Mr Washington is an accomplished pianist and organists having learnt the pipe organ at St Paul’s Cathedral aged 10. He was also the organist and choir master at All Saints Cathedral for 15 years.
After trying his hand as a taxi driver, salesman and banker, Mr Washington became an accountant at age 31.
He joined forces with Philip Seeber in 1966 along with his wife who was the business’ only employee. The staff soon grew to eight, allowing Judith to concentrate on the growing family.
The business flourished and opened offices in Castlemaine and Cohuna before its development into a financial group earlier this year.
Picture: Donald and daughter Bernice Campbell
(Courtesy of Noni Hyett and the Bendigo Advertiser)
