WE REMEMBER

Shane Fletcher (RGS 1982 - 1986)

Shane Matthew Fletcher attended The Rockhampton Grammar School for five years as a day student.

It was here he met his wife Lesley Fletcher (née. Rideout, RGS 1982). They were married in January 1989.

Shane was known by many as Fletch, Smurf and more recently The Man in the Fridge.

He was a wonderful man with a great sense of humour, a love of everything in film (you always had to watch all the credits when going to the movies) and a deep love for his family. His calm nature and friendly smile which he gave to anyone he knew, made him loved by everyone.

He is survived by his wife Lesley, his four beautiful children, Amy, Sarah, William and Katherine and his two gorgeous grandchildren, Henry and Summer.

He passed away unexpectedly on his 34th wedding anniversary after a lovely morning with his wife.

He will be forever missed but always in our hearts.

Rom Hayes (RGS 1958 - 1973)

(extracts from the Albury Wodonga News)

Rom Hayes remembered as an “officer and a gentleman” Albury’s 85-year-old Park Run stalwart Rom Hayes has been remembered as an “officer and a gentleman” after his death from a heart attack.

Romuald “Rom” Hayes had run Albury’s five kilometre Park Run, 100 times by the time of his death at age 85.

The former army major and father of six, died at the Albury Base Hospital on November 19 of a heart attack.

Romuald Brian Hayes was born on June 18, 1937, in Rockhampton, Queensland. He was the son of William and Ruby Hayes and was the youngest of four siblings - his sister Moya and brothers Michael, Billy, and Patrick. Sadly, Patrick passed away at just one day old.

Rom was the loving husband to Val, devoted father of six children and grandfather of 14.

Rom’s father passed away when he was only six years old. With his two older surviving brothers already moved away from home, his upbringing and primary influences during the early and formative years were his mother Ruby, sister Moya and the Christian Brothers where he went to school.

Growing up, Rom was a competitive sportsman. He held inter-school swimming records for butterfly, won the high school handball championships multiple times, played tennis and was also pretty handy at basketball. Academically, Rom was no natural by his own admission. He had to work hard for the knowledge he gained. He completed Year 12 in 1955 as dux of his school.

Upon his high school graduation, Rom was offered scholarships for both teaching and dentistry. He decided to go to teacher’s college where he graduated in 1956. Rom taught in the Queensland State School system for a year before accepting a private school position at Rockhampton Grammar as a teacher and boarding house master.

For the next six or so years Rom was a bachelor and had minimal responsibilities, other than his teaching work and commitment to his faith, so along with his best mate Marty (Linnane, former RGS teacher), he was pretty much having the time of his life.

During his years at RGS, Rom was Master of the Primary School and heavily involved with Cadets and he introduced basketball to the School, which included working with a group of boys to construct backboard frames from the welded stands which were then cemented into the ground.

In 1968, Rom and Marty initiated the first around-Australia adventure with the RGS students. The Central Australian Tour travelled from Rockhampton south to Adelaide, through the “centre” to Tennant Creek and back to Rockhampton. Thirty-eight boys from Year 9 to Year 12 joined the adventure. The trip included the bus getting bogged before the railways crew came to the rescue.

Rom married Valerie in 1964 and they were married for 58 years.

In 1973 he decided to change tact in his teaching career and joined the education core in the Royal Australian Army. His military postings during the next 20 years included stints in Papua New Guinea, Brisbane and Adelaide. Rom retired from the army with the rank of Major in 1993 after 20 years’ service. After Rom’s retirement from the army, he took up a position at the Albury Paper Mill as a technical writer. Rom retired fully from work in 2007.