Touching farewell for a giant of local sports scene
A LOCAL sporting community stalwart has been remembered in a touching — and humorous — funeral service on the Gold Coast. And according to his a close friend, his funeral was “exactly how (he) would have wanted it to be.”
Runaway Bay Seagulls Seniors’ Rugby League Football Club vice president Ray Patrick Joseph Warwick was just 44 when he suddenly died of a heart attack on May 18, on the way to one of his son’s football games.
He leaves behind his wife, Kim, and two young sons Joel, 16 and Marcus, 8.
Mr Warwick was farewelled at the Southport Church of Christ yesterday.
Mr Warwick’s friend, who declined to be named, said the funeral was very well attended, with about 250 people turning up to say goodbye.
He said he met Mr Warwick in the usual way – through football. “I met him personally about two years ago,” he said.
“The whole church was packed from front to back with the many people he had cared for, coached and most importantly ‘fathered’.”
Mr Warwick was also a part of the Runaway Bay Rugby League Old Boys Association and Labrador Oztag, where he coached a number of junior teams, including his sons’.
The friend said while his death was upsetting, “everyone who took to the microphone cracked a joke, exactly how Ray would’ve wanted it to be.”
“His family were obviously incredibly upset for their loss, but they did also have a laugh at the photos presented and the speeches jokes,” he said.
A close friend of Mr Warwick’s son Joel read out a speech from the boys.
The Haka was also performed by members of the Runaway Bay football club.