'Irreplaceable': Toowoomba Valleys farewell most dedicated volunteer

Richie Phillips had a booming voice, a strong work ethic, and an unbreakable sense of loyalty – especially when it came to the Toowoomba Valleys Roosters Rugby League Football Club.

Phillips was with the club for an astonishing 65 years, first as a player and then as a long-serving volunteer, and it was in that second role that he became one of the most recognised faces around the Toowoomba grounds.

His work could be seen everywhere.

Tragically, Phillips passed away somewhat unexpectedly on Saturday, March 12, and his loss has been felt around the entire club.

But it will be a case of gone but not forgotten for those at Toowoomba Valleys, who will always remember the amount of effort Phillips and his wife Jean went to around the club.

Toowoomba Valleys president Gary de Joux said the 85-year-old and his wife worked as a team, tirelessly and with a dedication that is hard to find.

“He was a true legend in his own right,” de Joux said of Phillips.

“He’s been with the club for over 60 years and for 40 of those years he’s been our groundsman.

“He looked after the grounds and Jean assisted … but they also looked after everything in game day operations.

“You’d see them everywhere. They were in the canteen, they were cleaning, they were behind the bar. They made sure the grounds were up to standard, that the line marking was done correctly, that the change rooms were clean and tidy.

“He was an extremely loyal man. I don’t think you’d meet a more loyal volunteer or member of any club in any sport. He couldn’t understand why past members would leave. He couldn’t comprehend it.”

The club president said Phillips came to Toowoomba in 1957 after leaving behind his hometown of Roma.

Once he arrived, he never looked back.

He quickly linked up with the Roosters and by 1962, he married the love of his life, Jean.

The two were inseparable and did everything together, volunteering at Toowoomba Valleys “religiously”.

“They were there almost everyday,” de Joux said.

Such was their dedication, the scoreboard is named after the couple.

That commitment to the club lasted right up until Phillips’ passing.

While the man that de Joux affectionately dubbed as “stubborn” started to struggle in recent years, he would still pop up around the club to “say his piece”.

It was only in the months leading up to his death that he stopped showing up.

It was known in the community that Phillips was battling various illnesses, but his death still came quickly and as a shock to the many people around town that loved him.

A life member of the club, Toowoomba Valleys will pay their respects to Phillips when they hold a memorial for him on April 9, which is the first home game of the season for the A Grade side.

Jean will be in attendance and de Joux said they would honour him as best as they could.

“He had a booming voice and that will be missed around the club,” de Joux said.

“He treated those fields as if it was his own backyard.

“These tributes … it highlights the impacts of volunteers and what they can do at a club and how much contribution is required from volunteers.

“Clubs don’t run themselves. You need people like Richie to survive.

“As far as volunteering and commitment and all of that is concerned, he did set a high standard.

“Any club would love to have a Richie. He is irreplaceable to be honest.”