Richard Parker

This tribute has drawn on Anne Haycock’s eulogy from the Celebration of Richard’s life and the summary of his life from the 80th Birthday celebration in 2015.

Richard also known as Dick by many of his friends, died peacefully overnight on Monday 8 October 2018, aged 82. Dick was a long-time member having joined the Vets in the late seventies.

As Dick said at the senior’s recognition of his 80th birthday “it’s not about what I’ve done for tennis, but rather what tennis has done for me!” But he spent a lifetime at it.

Dick started playing tennis in ’s Eastern Suburbs when he was 14. He was captain of the Randwick Boys High School 1st Grade team. He played Badge in Sydney from 1960 to 1970. He came to Canberra in 1972 with wife Wendy and two of his three children.

They joined the Reid Tennis Club and Dick soon became the Vice President, a position he was to hold for 15 years. Reid had few members in those days and Flora; the Parker’s dog had to make a quorum at some meetings.

Dick played 1B pennant in Canberra for many years. The Parkers were inaugural members at Kippax Tennis Club. On retirement Dick organised a happy group of gents who have played there ever since during the week.

Richard joined the Vets (or Seniors as they are called today) in the late seventies. He played his first Australian Teams Championships in in 1981 in the mens 40’s team with Peter Purdy, Kurt Masur and George Scott. He then played in the Australian Teams Championships regularly until 2010. In 1997 in a division two 60’s team at the Gold Coast he was devastated when his team lost the final by one game. Especially as his wife, Wendy was in the Magical Champagne Kids team which won their section. All was forgotten in 2010 again at the Gold Coast when his 70’s division two team won.

The winning 2010 team on the Gold Coast ( left to right) Ralph Peters, Robert Read, Colin Power, Richard and David Burke.

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He served on the Seniors Committee from 1991 to 1994. He was Director of Transport in 1995 when Canberra hosted the Australian Teams Championships. He was a consultant for Transport when we hosted the Championships again 2002. Dick and Wendy went on tennis tours to New Zealand and supported John Casey safaris around Australia.

Wendy and Richard Parker

He was a regular Thursday Tournament and Twilight player. He went to country tournaments such as , Merimbula, Grenfell and Cowra just to name a few. He always played the Easter Tournament back in the day.

Anne fondly remembered in about 1996 when Pauline Honeyman, Fay Richardson and Anne went to Mildura with Dick and Chris Hall and some others. We were there for tennis! It was decided we must try this famous Italian Restaurant at the Grand Hotel. Being the athletes we were it was decided we should walk home afterwards. It was quite a distance. Dick and Anne being the athletes they got a cab. Others got blisters which hampered their performance

Anne always thought of Dick as a fine gentleman with an interesting unusual sense of humour. Richard Stanley Gilchrist Parker, you’ve fought a torrid battle over recent years. You can rest in peace knowing you’ve had a good life and an impact on many.

Game, set and match