OBITUARY
Name: Peter Levey
Born: 25 November 1950
Died: 27 November 2014
THE Kooweerup Football Club and the Kooweerup community was saddened by the passing of one of its most respected Life Members and premiership player, Peter Levey who battled illness for a number of years, passed away peacefully at Port Fairy surrounded by family and friends.
Peter was the second son of Wilf and Marie Levey and was born on 25 November 1950. He lived in the family home in Manks Road, Kooweerup, with his brother Wayne and Erle where he inherited his parents’ sporting and community spirit.
Peter’s dad Wilf was a classy footballer and cricketer for Kooweerup and his mum Marie, who hailed from the sporting Jackson family at Pakenham, was a very good runner, netballer and tennis player. Her brother Ray “Cracker” Jackson played with North Melbourne while another brother Norm “Widow” Jackson and their brother-in-law Norm Andrews had legendary careers with the Pakenham Football Club that spilled over to the Fitzroy Football Club at different levels.
Peter attended Kooweerup Primary School and the Kooweerup High School where he excelled in athletics, and along with Wayne and Erle he went on to be part of Under 16 cricket and football premiership teams.
It was during this period that Peter developed his unique, life-long trait of enjoying life to the fullest and with his many mates from school and the neighbouring farms on the swamp they created a variety of sporting and cultural folklore that is still talked about when friends get together.
At the wake after Peter’s passing, his brothers and good mate Neville Esler retold many stories that highlighted a lifestyle, which during the 1950s and 60s helped Peter develop his character of loyalty to friends and a commitment to his community. This level of community spirit and sporting fellowship carried on through his life, playing a key role within the Kooweerup football and cricket clubs.
A highlight being that as young 18 years old, he played an important role in the Kooweerup Football Club, winning the 1969 West Gippsland Football Premiership. And together with his good mate Ron Ingram, Peter went on to be the only players to be part of both the 1969 and 1979 premiership teams.
His dedication to the Kooweerup Football Club never ceased, as he went on to coaching junior sides while playing senior football and serving many years on the committee. His record with the football club speaks for itself with four premierships (1963 thirds, 1969 and 1979 seniors and the 1981 reserves).
He was also the coach of the 1973 (fourths), 1980 (thirds) and the 1983 (reserves) premiershp teams.
Peter was also selected in the club’s 2003 Centenary 25-year Championship team. It was this commitment that resulted in Peter being made a Kooweerup Football Club Life Member in 2012.
While living on the family farm at Kooweerup, Peter and his wife Joanne followed their careers in school teaching in South and West Gippsland and later in the Wimmera. This period of his life was highlighted by Peter’s ability to inspire young people to commit to their goals and develop a fellowship of friends that they would retain throughout their own life’s journey.
True to his sporting commitment, while teaching in the Wimmera, Peter stayed true to his community spirit and coached both junior cricket and football at Laharum. Once again his sporting dedication resulted in a Life Membership at the Laharum Cricket Club. Peter and Joanne purchased a farm at Brimpaen, just south of Horsham where they ran cattle, sheep, grew wheat and more importantly raised their family Caitlin, Nick and Jack.
Battling illness for a number of years, Peter continued to see the glass half full, and met the challenge with his positive attitude to life and in 2013 he travelled to Antarctica and South America. During the 2014 EDFL finals series, Peter was pumped that his beloved Demons had made it through to the grand final and while he was unable to make it to the game, his phone calls of motivation and support gave him the opportunity to participate.
Peter and Joanne retired to Port Fairy in 2013 to enjoy the coastal village where they could write and paint and importantly to enjoy the company of family and friends.
The respect in which Peter was held in both the Kooweerup and Blimpaen as well the Laharum communities was evident at the celebration of his life at the Port Fairy Yacht Club.
Peter’s courage on the sporting field was matched only by what he showed in battling his illness, while at the same time inspiring others with similar conditions.
Through it all Peter retained his infectious sense of humour, wonderful smile and a heart of gold.
He passed away on 27 November.
