Even after he had hung up his boots, Joe attended most matches as a trained first aider and founded the local mixed touch football competition.

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Rugby league was not Joe’s only sporting love.

He was also a keen life saver at Blackhead Beach, and was recognised for his sporting talents by being chosen to be a torchbearer for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Joe lived all his life in Gloucester until six weeks before his death in Toronto Nursing Home on 4 February, aged 88.

Joe was born in the Roma Hospital in Barrington Street as one of six children of Fred and Dora Smith.

Two of Joe’s siblings, Elaine Maslen and Ken Smith, still live in Gloucester.

As a youngster, Joe was a keen Scout – on one occasion attending a Jamboree in New Guinea.

It was Joe’s father who donated the land for the construction of the Scout Hall on the corner of Church and Phillip streets – the building now used by the Gloucester Charities Bookshop.

After leaving Gloucester High School at 14, Joe worked variously as a truck driver, dairy farm worker, council ranger and dog catcher, although for the last 35 years before his retirement at 77 he worked at the Water Treatment Plant.

The love of Joe’s life was his wife Nancy (Hazell), and Joe was devastated when she died of cancer after 40 years of marriage.

Nancy was also prominent in Gloucester sporting circles, with the netball complex in Gloucester District Park bearing her name.

For the last 16 years, Joe’s companion was Patty West who devotedly cared for him in the years before his death.

Joe is survived by Peter, Mark and Anne, his children with Nancy, and three grandchildren, Jenna, Tahnia and Georgie.

By John WATTS