Obituary – Patrick John Bourke

Patrick John Bourke, a tireless worker and contributor to the Milford club over many years, has passed way, aged 90.

For his services to Milford, mainly helping prepare greens and other maintenance tasks, especially looking after the club’s surrounds and gardens, Pat was made a life member of the club. He performed all of this in a typically unobtrusive manner.

He was a capable bowler as well and, though not successful at centre level, he won several club titles and as recently as 2018 secured a double success in the triples and fours, playing with Bik Cheung, Roger Stokes and his great friend, Sue Hing.

In 2009 and 2011 he was a key member of the Milford team which in each year won the Bowls North Harbour one-to-five year-inter-club title. He formed an effective pairs combination with Rhonda Preston.

He and Sue Hing were regular visitors to neighbouring clubs like Takapuna and Sunnybrae and, while always competitive, won many friends with their cheerfulness and sportsmanship.

Bowls North Harbour life member, Graham Dorreen, started his bowls at the Milford club and along with his wife Anne shared with Pat the junior inter-club successes in 2009 and 2011. He has fond memories of Pat, both as a man and a bowler, describing him as “a wonderful guy.”

Originally from South Taranaki, Pat in his younger days was a good rugby player at club level and earlier had been a first XV player at a noted rugby nursery, St Pat’s College, Silverstream.

The North Harbour bowls community extends its condolences to Pat’s family and particularly to his widow, Dorreen, to whom he was married for 66 years.