(14 April 1943 – 30 December 2024)
Sadly, on the morning of 30 December 2024, Bob Kennedy passed away peacefully and thankfully without pain. Bob made peace with the fact he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in early December and bravely denied treatment accepting his fate. In his words ‘I have had a great life and have no regrets!’
The NRAA and NQRA has lost a very staunch and committed supporter of our sport.
Bob was born in Lismore and was the eldest of seven children. He left school at age 14 to commence work – the only thing he liked about school was playing rugby league! Bob enjoyed a variety of jobs until he enlisted in the Citizens Military Forces on 26 September 1960 going on to join the Australian Regular Army on 29 August 1961.
During his military service, Bob reached the rank of Lance Corporal, having served in 1, 2 & 3 RAR (Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment). While posted to 1 RAR, Bob spent time in Singapore and Malaysia before the battalion was deployed to the war in Vietnam from June 1965 to June 1966 where he was a machine gunner. Bob discharged from the Australian Regular Army on 5 September 1967 having enjoyed his combined military service of almost seven years and when reflecting on his time in the Army commented ‘no matter how good you were, there weren’t any jobs in civvy street for machine gunners!’
During his time with the Army in Sydney, Bob met Joan Matthews whose home town was Ayr (NQld). Shortly after discharging from the Army, Bob travelled to Ayr marrying Joan in 1968. That happy marriage produced two daughters, Sandra and Ellen and later two grandchildren Gemma and Jack. Sadly Joan passed away in October 2015.
Bob Kennedy had three life passions – family, fishing and long range rifle shooting and was happiest when engaged in one of the three.
Bob’s first rifle club was Narrabri (NSW) and when he and Joan returned to make Ayr their permanent home in 1971, Bob naturally joined the Ayr Rifle Club. He and Joan were a team at the Ayr Rifle Club holding the positions of Club Captain and Secretary. Bob served as the Club Captain for 35 years while also serving as the President of the Townsville Rifle Association for a number of years.
Bob’s passion for rifle shooting was infectious and he encouraged many to join the sport. Bob served on the NQRA Council across two centuries for a total of 46 years, 24 of which were as President of NQRA. He was honoured with NQRA Life Membership in 2015.
He won a number of Club Prize Meetings and two A Grade Queens badges (both since becoming a Veteran). Bob was the NQRA Queens Chief Range Officer for approximately 10 years in the 1990s thus placing his shooting career on hold. He was a regular NQRA Team member from 2003 to 2019 (target rifle and veteran teams).
He loved the Veterans Teams Competition and captained four NQRA Veteran Teams, winning the National Championships in Sydney in 2009 and defending the title in Darwin in 2010. Under challenging circumstances, Bob served as the President of the Australian Veterans Rifle Shooters from 2012-2016.
And on top of that he scored a 50.10 during one of the NQRA Queens Prizes circa 2014!
After retiring from competitive shooting Bob became a willing volunteer around the Townsville Marksmen Rifle Club which he joined in later years to be challenged by regular 900 metre shooting. It was here during a NQRA Queens Prize shoot that he met Lisa (Eliza) who was the catering guru for these shoots. Bob and Lisa married in August 2019 with Bob often joking it was a way to keep our highly respected catering guru committed to the Townsville Marksmen Rifle Club and the North Queensland Rifle Association – onya Bob!
Bob Kennedy, a mate and friend to many, is fondly remembered and sadly missed by all rifle shooters who were fortunate enough to have met him.
Thank you for your dedication and service to our sport. Rest in Peace Bob.
