Colin Gadd, a former principal of Bald Blair Public School, refused to live life on the sidelines, the quintessential ''man in the middle'' of community service and sport in the New England region.
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He died, aged 74, just days before Christmas following a long illness.
A man of many hats, Colin was a fixture of the region's sporting fields as a player and official, a two-term city councillor, a teacher and principal, a devoted Lion and a volunteer with a stubborn streak that served him well in getting things done.
''Our local communities have been built on the likes of people like Colin,'' said Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall.
''Whether it was community radio, cricket, local government, football, sports council or his beloved Lions Club, for more than 40 years, Col was always the first to stick his hand up to help out.''
Colin David Gadd was born on February 10, 1945, in south-east London, to David and Elsie Gadd. His father's work as a laboratory manager led the family to Dunedin in New Zealand, arriving in January 1953 just before the Cockney kid's eighth birthday. Colin shared happy memories of Dunedin, despite attending seven primary schools, always fitting in quickly through rugby and cricket.
Their 1959 move to Armidale was ultimately wonderful, but Colin never forgave his dad for denying him a shot at being an All Black - he'd just been picked for the Otago Under-14s.
In Armidale, Colin found home. He attended Armidale High School, where classes played second fiddle to first 15 rugby, rugby league and winning the school's first-ever soccer blue - after he worked out what to do with a round ball.
When he was 14, Colin started work at J. Richardson and Co, packing groceries at first before then selling shoes, toys and clothing - and was once Armidale's skinniest Santa.
After his Leaving Certificate in 1963, Colin said he was lucky to be asked enough of the right questions to earn a Teachers' College scholarship. His two years there, he said, passed in a blur of sporting endeavours, theatre productions and the odd lecture.
Colin's teaching career began at Brewarrina, where being ''scared stiff ''of getting tackled led to plenty of tries in the local rugby league competition.
He then moved to Tingha before Hurstville in Sydney. The latter gave him a masterclass in the school's primary sport, soccer, and his first foray into refereeing. The ''man in the middle'' was born - and later became the name of a column he loved writing for this paper.
In 1969, Colin went to an Armidale High reunion at the Town Hall where he asked a young lady to dance. Her name was Carolyn Wheaton. They had four sons, eight grandchildren and, on January 17, would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They never stopped dancing.
The next four job moves each brought a baby boy. Martin was born in Sydney, before Tony arrived after he was transferred 'home' to Armidale Demonstration School (now City). A move to Binnaway inspired Stephen, and Bald Blair brought Michael. All made Colin immensely proud, as anyone who ran into him in the street can attest.
The Bald Blair move was Colin's first appointment as a principal, followed by Emmaville from 1984 and Ashford from 1988. But by 1995, Colin wanted to return home again - this time for good. He worked as a casual teacher for the next six years, and loved teaching the children of children he'd taught previously.
Colin returned to a central role in the referee's association and would become regional referees' coach, an inspector and continued wielding the whistle until 2018.
Hugely respected, he was even subjected to rare public praise by players. A 1985 Express column by The Striker recalled an ''excellent display'' during a heated Norths-Easts clash. ''Gadd was unobtrusive yet controlled the game smoothly. It was an object lesson in refereeing which some other pea-blowers should try to follow." He wouldn't have liked the last bit.
Not content with spending every winter Saturday in the middle, he took up cricket umpiring, and in 1996-97 officiated in both the local first-grade cricket and soccer grand finals, a feat only achieved by his father.
Awards were never Colin's motivation but were too many to list. In 2000, he was given the Australian Sports Medal. In 2010, he was presented the Bill Turner Award for Services to junior football by Northern NSW Football. Last year, he was the first recipient of the Colin Gadd Contribution to Football award, given by Northern Inland Football.
He was also a life member of the New England Football Referees Association, Armidale and New England Football Associations and Northern Inland Football.
Life after running schools was fruitful for Colin. After getting a taste of careers advising at Guyra, he was appointed Workplace Learning Co-ordinator for the region in 2001 by the Armidale Partnership for Industry and Education. He was a member of Jobs Australia Enterprises board of directors for the past 14 years and served as chairman. Even with his health ailing last year, he travelled to Cairns to represent the board.
Looking in the mirror knowing he'd made a positive contribution to the community drove Colin. He put his time and energy where his mouth was, whether atop a scissor lift or behind the Newie's chicken wire as compere for the Autumn Festival, dressed up for a pantomime, hosting Australia Day or flipping sausages.
Colin also represented the community with distinction on the Armidale Dumaresq Council as an independent councillor and was appointed to the advisory committee following the 2016 amalgamation.
Last year, he was awarded an Australia Day Award for long-standing service to the Armidale Community to add to his 2018 NSW Premiers Award recognising 40 years as a volunteer.
Lions was close to Colin's heart since he joined in 1977 and served in every board position in each of the five clubs he was a member, as well as regional chairman.
At home, he was an avid stamp and model car collector, voracious reader and always ensured the family had pets, something denied him as a child. None of them were closer to Colin than his affectionate boofhead Jack, the black staffy-labrador who enriched his last decade.
His defiant, almost matter of fact approach to his health battle was indicative of the man himself. The week before his death he left a hospital visit to present his weekly radio show on 2ARM FM, My Favourite Music. As always, he closed with What a Wonderful World.
Colin, who passed peacefully at home before Christmas, is survived by his wife Carolyn, sons Martin, Tony, Stephen and Michael, brother Jeremy, sister Wendy, and eight grandchildren.
- A memorial service for Colin Gadd will be held at Armidale City Bowling Club, at 2pm, on Friday, January 10.