Sutherland Hockey Club has lost one of its great Life Members. Denis Walker passed away on Sunday night after a long illness.
His long and extraordinary service to our club and its members was recognised with life membership in 1990.
In awarding him life membership, the Committee of the time especially recognised the central role Denis played in coordinating the project to build our Club’s first synthetic field at Sylvania Hockey Park.
In addition to a hockey-playing career that spanned more than 40 years – from his first junior game in England to Sutho grade teams and Masters – Denis also made a huge contribution to the development of sports facilities in Sutherland Shire.
He was the administrator of the Council’s Parks Committee, where he was known as a fair and extremely knowledgeable manager of the many demands for sports infrastructure in the Shire.
This included a deep involvement in advice for the planning and building of Sutho’s first synthetic surface and its replacement.
For his long association with cricket, Denis was made an Honorary Life Member of Sutherland Shire Cricket Association in 1987.
He is survived by his wife, Judith, and son Adrian.
Denis’ funeral service will be held at St Phillips Church, Caringbah, at 11 a.m next Monday, 27 May.