A minute of respectful silence for Lara’s late stalwarts
LARA Sporting Club teams will observe a minute’s silence this weekend to honour the legacy of dedicated stalwarts who passed away in recent days.
The club and broader community are mourning the deaths of Peter Kuchenmeister and Laurie Anderson, who both leave a legacy of service, friendship and leadership.
Kuchenmeister, affectionately known as Kuchy, lost his long battle with cancer on July 3, aged 79, after a life dedicated to the club, often described as his second home.
Across four decades of service to the sporting club, he served on the football committee for more than 30 years, beginning in the late 1970s, and held roles such as junior vicepresident (1982-84), senior vice-president (1984), president (1985-2007) and more recently club patron (20082019). He was also heavily involved in the Lara Lions Club across several decades.
“A loved and highly respected member of the Lara Sporting Club,” Lara Sporting Club president Peter Kelly said. “His contribution to the club, which spanned a generation of time, is invaluable and is an everlasting legacy at our club.
“His effervescent character and super-optimistic attitude to life has left indelible memories to all who were fortunate to know him.
“Kuchy was loved and respected by everyone. He was an adored husband to wife Marie and much-loved father of Melinda, Prue and Natalie.
“Our deepest sympathies are extended to Marie, Melinda, Natalie and Prue and all their families.”
Kuchenmeister saw the club grow from a tin shed behind the grandstand to the new state-of-the-art social rooms facility.
At the end of 1995, he restructured the configuration of the club’s board of directors to an independent body and updated the constitution in line with those changes.
He oversaw major changes to the club’s gaming and hospitality setup, including managing the transition of the club from being run by a volunteer base to professional staffing.
Anderson passed away in Townsville on July 1, aged 72, after moving north with Hazel more than 15 years ago.
Anderson played more than 150 games with Lara and was captain of the club’s first reserve grade premiership in 1979.
A hard, tough and uncompromising player who led the team with strength and distinction, his nickname was “Captain Elbows”.
Beyond his playing service, Anderson was the secretary of the Lara Sporting Club for eight years and vice-president for another two years.
Teams across the sporting club’s football, netball and baseball sections will pay their respects to Kuchenmeister and Anderson before their matches this weekend, with cricket representatives attending the football tribute.