By Alan Irving

Last updated at 16:00, Wednesday, 09 June 2010

THE loss of father-of-two Garry Purdham, at the age of 31, has brought heartbreak and shock to not only the world of rugby but the local community in which he was so well liked.

Title
Author
Copyright

Description

Garry’s family paid this moving tribute: “Cumbria has lost one of its favourite sons when the life of Garry Purdham was tragically cut short. He was loved dearly by all his family and everyone who knew him – a gentle giant who would do anything.

“He leaves a hole which can never be filled in the lives of his wife Ros, sons Cameron, eight, and Flynn, two; his father Jack, mother Bridget, brother Rob and sister Becky.

“His two boys were his pride and joy. The other two loves of his life were rugby league and farming. He worked on his father’s farm from the day he left school, never wanting to do anything else.

“Garry’s rugby career started very early and he and brother Rob played together in the under-11s, progressing to Egremont Rangers and Whitehaven before their careers went their separate ways. Garry played for Great Britain (BARLA) and toured Australia.

“After leaving Whitehaven Garry transferred to Workington and then returned to Egremont Rangers. In recent times he started coaching kids with Cameron in tow, they both really loved it. Garry Purdham was one of life’s true gentlemen.”

Copeland’s mayor Mike McVeigh knew Garry well. He was a clubhouse steward for Egremont Rangers, where Garry learned his rugby.

He said: “Garry was as tough as teak and as gentle as a lamb. He didn’t like the limelight but what a lovely lad. What has happened is terrible for his family, for Cumbria and for rugby league.”

Jackie Reid, MBE, an Egremont RL stalwart and BARLA international chairman, said: “Garry was one of the best players we ever took on tour, particularly in 1997 to Australia. You could rely on him to do everything asked of him. He was first on the training field and last off. A genuine lad, it breaks my heart thinking about him.”

A former Egremont team-mate, international John Brocklebank, said Garry was an integral part of the Rangers side which in the 97-98 season not only won the BARLA Conference League but also knocked Workington Town out of the Challenge Cup.

“Garry played in all of the big games including the famous night when we beat Town on the Recreation Ground,” said John.

“He and Rob were always late for training because they’d been doing something on the farm but nobody minded because they more than made up for it with the work they did on the training pitch when they got here.

“Garry would walk in from the changing rooms – he was always the slowest to get showered – and say ‘see you lads, I’m back off to the farm to milk cows’.

“Garry’s death has touched so many people.”

From South Africa, where the BARLA Young Lions are touring, 20-year-old Egremont winger Jack Murray sent this message: “Garry was a great bloke, and a really good player who often helped out with the coaching. He came back to the club a year ago. He was a leader, one of the older heads who did a lot for the younger players like me.”

Paul Cullen, his former coach at Whitehaven, said: “I am a richer person for having known him.”

After visiting Garry’s family, Mr Cullen, now at Widnes, said: “For me, Garry Purdham epitomised everything that is great about the people of Cumbria. What really summed him up was his integrity.”

Recalling a time when he opened up a gym under the Recre grandstand for extra training, Mr Cullen added: “It was freezing cold, pitch black when at around 9pm three figures wandered in covered in muck, straw and God knows what else. It was Garry, his brother Rob and Phil Sherwen. They said they’d been dipping sheep all day. I told them they should go home and eat, take a bath and let their bodies relax but they wouldn’t hear a word of it.”

Ged Stokes, the current Whitehaven head coach, said: “Garry had the balance right with his family life. He would play a game of footy, go home and milk the cows.”

Present Barrow team boss Steve McCormack, who also coached Garry at Whitehaven, said: “Garry played two seasons for me and didn’t miss many games. He took the ethic from his home life into the way he played. He was a player’s player, a fantastic professional.”

And Workington Town chairman Dave Bowden enthused: “Garry Purdham was quite simply a gentleman, a real pleasure to know. He had a wonderful, calm and mature temperament coupled with a dry sense of humour. One of those players his team-mates looked up to.”

A funeral service for Mr Purdham will be held at St Mary's Church, Gosforth, at 11.45am today (Thursday), followed by cremation at Distington Hall. His family have asked that those attending wear bright clothing. Donations in his memory can be made to Cancer Research UK, c/o Adams, Read and Hocking, Ennerdale Road, Cleator Moor.

First published at 15:45, Wednesday, 09 June 2010
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk