NUAFC 1968-2018

2017
shrinking violet, but they often thought they knew everything,
and for him women were a bit of a revelation because, well, the
sport was so new for us, and we just soaked up every word, and
he loved it. He was huge for women's football, especially in the
Waikato."
Anne, also a coach, said spectators had to be careful
when standing next to Jeff, a close analyst of the game.
"He would nudge you, nearly tip you off your feet, to
point out an aspect of the game. Then he would nudge you again.
And again. We always said you got bruised standing next to him."
Kerry once asked her father if he had always been
passionate about football.
"He said some of his earliest memories, when he was
about three, were of kicking a football about. Punishment for him
was when his parents threatened to ban him from practising. He
was one of that small percentage of people who have a lifelong
passion for something and just get totally focused on it."
The esteem in which Jeff was held by players and their
families was a revelation for daughter Kerry, who met about 30 of
them at the Cock and Bull, where her father would enjoy a pint of
Boddington's.
"I didn't grasp how influential he was. The way they were
talking about him was quite overwhelming, it was heartwarming."
Kerry says her father was one of those larger-than-life
characters who won a hat trick of football "Personality of the
Year" awards three years running.
"He was such a unique character, and something
common among those that knew and loved him, was how he
made people laugh. From the comments I heard after he died, it
seems this was a massive part of what will be remembered. Dad
took up a huge amount of space with his personality. Our home
was always filled with lots of laughter but he also gave sage
advice when we needed it."
Jeff died just days after his 51st wedding anniversary,
after a short illness.
"I asked mum on their wedding anniversary," said Kerry,
"what it was that had kept them together for so long. She said,
'He made me laugh every day."'
Jeff was the best friend and husband to Judy; loved dad
of Karen and Kerry; grandpa to Harley, Neo, and Max; greatgrandpa
to Lachlan.
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