A WAIKERIE man who dedicated more than half a century to local sporting clubs is being remembered as a mentor, father figure, idol and a legend.
Former Waikerie Football Club and Waikerie Gold Cricket Club player, coach, trainer and volunteer, Jon Matthews, passed away at the age of 75 last week surrounded by friends and family.
Mr Matthews’ wife Judy said he was “always there to help anybody who needed it”.
“He was a mentor, and he was like a father figure for some of the players,” Mrs Matthews said.
“He just took them under his wing and told them that if there was anything they needed, he’d be there for them regardless of what colour they were or what age they were.
“He had people coming around home even recently and having treatment done on our back veranda.
“He loved every minute of it.”
Mr Matthews moved from Adelaide to Waikerie in 1964 and soon became involved with the local sporting community.
Mrs Matthews said she had received “hundreds” of messages from people paying their respects.
“I am getting emails and messages from people who he’s coached and mentored over the years,” she said.
“There was one that came through from Balraj Singh, who said it was hard coming into the town as an Indian child and the only way he could fit in was to play sport.
“Jon was his idol, he followed him everywhere, we would take him to footy, and he eventually went on to make the list for
the Crows.
“That’s just one example, I’ve had hundreds just like that.”
Mrs Matthews said Jon was also very dedicated to his family.
“We have two boys, Rick and Craig, plus seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren,” she said.
“He was a great family man; he absolutely adored his grandkids and his great grandkids.”
Mr Matthews stepped away from the Waikerie Football Club in 2017 after 53 years, but remained involved with the Waikerie Gold Cricket Club, intending to coach once the 2020/21 season got under way.
He was honoured as a life member at both clubs, was a Riverland Football League and Mid Murray Cricket association life member, and was presented the Steve McFarlane Contribution to Sport award in 2015.
The Waikerie Football Club paid tribute to Mr Matthews with a slide show and poem on their Facebook page, which received over 100 comments from people paying tribute.
“He was a very genuine and gentle man,” Mrs Matthews said.
“In every tribute that I’ve seen people have called him a legend.”
The Waikerie Football Club will hold a memorial service for Mr Matthews at the Waikerie Football Oval on June 22 at 1pm.
COVID-19 restrictions will apply, with more details to be released closer to the date on the Waikerie Magpies Facebook page (www.facebook.com/waikeriefootballclub).