Vale – Grahame “Butch” Kennedy

Sadly Butch, aged 71 years, passed away peacefully at his home in Port Macquarie on the 5 July 2015.

Butch, a Men of League Member, was a unique human being, so highly respected on and off the rugby league playing field and once you were his friend you were a friend for life, as can be attested by Wayne and Gary Stevens (future international player) and Steve Lawrence.

To say “he was born with rugby league in his veins” would be an understatement. Butch began his playing days in 1960 in the South Sydney Junior Rugby League competitions with the Pagewood Junior Rugby League Club as a forward alongside many excellent players including again Wayne and Gary Stevens, Greg Pinson and Ronny Saville. In 1961 he had the honour to be selected in the 1st South Sydney Jersey Flegg representative team that toured New Zealand and he had two team mates by the name of Bob McCarthy and Ron Coote (more future internationals) and many others who went onto play for South Sydney and other District Clubs.

When the Pagewood Junior Rugby League Club folded he along with the Steven’s brothers transferred to the strong Chelsea United Junior Rugby League Club in 1962 with great success resulting in his selection in the premiership winning South Sydney President Cup team in 1963 and moved onto play 2nd and 3rd grade with the South Sydney District Rugby League Club in 1964-1965. He was off again in 1965-1966 to play for the Tumut Rugby League Club which subsequently formed part of the breakaway competition Murrumbidgee Rugby League where Butch stated he played the hardest rugby league ever against the likes of Mike Sullivan, Greg Hawick, Arthur Summons, Ray Bevan and Henry Maxwell.

From 1968–1974 he travelled widely and was Captain/Coach of rugby league clubs in Tathra, Lower Clarence, Griffith, Parkes and Port Macquarie where in 1974 he snapped his achilles tendon and was told he would never play again. In his true spirit Butch proved the medical experts wrong and a few years later played again as Captain/Coach for Orange Ex Services Club, Bathurst Railway Club and finally the Burleigh Bears Club.

Butch played rugby league as a tough, fearless forward who gained the respect of his opposition by his good sportsmanship, many who believed it was far better and safer to be playing with him than against him.

Butch will be sadly missed by his loving wife Jean, son Mack, daughter Keire, their two grandchildren and three great grandsons. All of his friends and ex-team mates throughout the rugby league community will forever remember him and miss his regular visits to Sydney, where they had the pleasure to be in his company.

A funeral service is to be held on Friday 10 July 2015 at 12 noon, Innes Gardens, Memorial Park, Philip Charley Drive Port Macquarie. The Family have requested that those attending please wear bright colours or football jerseys.