Bruce Flynn OBE, dies in Sydney at 79
30 June 2010
BRUCE FLYNN, who played a huge role in PNG business, sports
and philanthropy for 50 years has died in Sydney at the age of 79 after suffering a heart attack.
He arrived in Port Moresby in 1954 to work as a brewer at the South Pacific Brewery complex that was still being built at Badili.
He stayed for 36 years at South pacific, becoming general manager in 1973. He retired in 1987 but continued as a director until 1995.
Mr Flynn served as honorary consul for Finland from 1977-88 and was a long-time supporter of Mother Teresa’s nuns at Badili.
After his arrival in PNG, Mr Flynn was captain/coach of the Magani Badili rugby league club, and the team won several premierships. He also captained the Papua side in their annual clashes against New Guinea.
He was an extraordinarily active worker in the community: president of the Employers Federation, president of the Manufacturers Council, president of the PNG Sports Federation, president of Port Moresby Rotary, president of the Papua Club, president of the PNG Rugby League Football Association, and a director of many commercial and charitable enterprises.
His wife, Rita, was also a remarkable contributor to life in Port Moresby – being particularly prominent in the establishment of netball in PNG.
Mr Flynn was awarded an OBE for his services to industry, sports and the community in PNG. He and his wife retired to Queenscliff in Sydney in 2004.
His funeral service will be held at the Camellia Room at Macquarie Park cemetery and crematorium on Friday.
Very sad news for the PNG rugby league fraternity and country of Bruce Flynn's passing on.
Bruce, like the late Dr Jim Jacobi, was a local hero and league icon in the country for young Papuans (like me) growing up in the 1960s.
Bruce and many of the young Aussies who played in the pre-independence era where regular matches of Papua verses New Guinea was the stuff of legends. My late Dad (ex PIB) used to take me to the games (which I loved watching) to see the late Bruce Flynn and other great Aussie players of that special era.
These young Aussies - many were government workers - excelled in the sport of rugby league at the time and were our sporting heroes and mentors.
The Papua against New Guinea annual rugby league games was our local version of a kind of State of Origin. It was stopped, as it triggered after games riots and ethnic hatred that continues to this day in one form or another.
Bruce's wife Rita Flynn was also a PNG sports icon. Rita made a name for herself in the sport of netball. She was a representative PNG netball player and later a very good netball administrator.
For her sporting achievements and contribution to the development of netball, the netball association named the Port Moresby netball games area the Rita Flynn Courts.
I am very sad to hear of a mentor's passing and send my personal condolences to Rita Flynn and the Flynn family. May Bruce rest in peace.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 01 July 2010 at 03:54 PM