Described as community-minded, passionate and a man who attacked the cricket ball as hard as he did life, The Tradies Group former CEO Rob Docker has died, at the age of 66.
He passed away at the family home in Campbell on Saturday morning.
Mr Docker is survived by his wife Anne, children Sarah and Tom and his grandchildren.
His good friend Grant Stecum - they met each other in the 1970s while studying at the University of Canberra predecessor, the Canberra College of Advanced Education - said Mr Docker had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 and been fighting it ever since.
Mr Stecum said his friend had spoken about what kind of legacy he wanted to leave:
"That he always had the best interests of the community at heart and that he was a kind person."
Mr Docker also loved golf and cricket.
He was president of North Canberra-Gungahlin Cricket Club in the mid-2000s and sat on the board of Cricket ACT from 2012 to 2016.
Mr Docker also played cricket himself, including in the mid-1980s when he was the second-grade captain for the Canberra City Club and one of his teammates was Mark Vergano, who would go on to be chief executive of Cricket ACT, including while Mr Docker was on the board.
"He was an all-rounder," Mr Vergano said of his friend's cricketing style.
Mr Vergano said Mr Docker played cricket with an aggressive mindset, the same way he tackled life.
"Rob was a bit of a force of nature," he said.
"Ebullient, progressive. Certainly if something had to be done, he made sure it was done. He was very forthright and very honest."
The Tradies Group grew from originally a licensed club in Dickson for union members and their families to a business owning a range of facilities including an on-site hotel next to the updated club.
Mr Docker was head of the Tradies Group during a controversial 2014 land swap between the club and the ACT government.
Mr Stecum said Mr Docker was proud to have grown up in the national capital.
"He loved Canberra."
Mr Docker grew up on the Gungahlin property Well Station, which his parents helped to manage, and attended Watson High. He was the oldest of four brothers.
Mr Stecum said that rural upbringing held Mr Docker in good stead later in life when both were working together as consultants for clubs in NSW and Mr Docker had an easy rapport with the managers of country clubs.
Mr Docker, before then, was also a public servant, working for the departments of Defence and Industry.
"He made some great contacts, lasting contacts," Mr Stecum said.
Mr Stecum said Mr Docker was extroverted when he needed to be, but also had a quieter side and was a humble man at his core.
"He had such a wide circle of friends," he said.
"He loved diversity. Loved getting to know people from different backgrounds.
"Rob was very introverted in many ways but he knew he had to step up and was happy to step up."
Mr Stecum said after working as a consultant to clubs, Mr Docker was offered the job of CEO at The Tradies in 2009. He retired only in May this year.
Mr Stecum said he and Mr Docker would often spend a Saturday at Mr Stecum's house in Reid catching up and having a few bets on the horse racing.
He said it was somehow appropriate that Mr Docker died on Caufield Cup day and his funeral was to be held on Melbourne Cup day, Tuesday, November 7.
"We all think that's great," he said.
Mr Vergano, meanwhile, offered his condolences to the family of Mr Docker.
He said The Tradies had been a great supporter of local sport, including "women's sport before it was a fashionable thing to do".
"It's a great loss to sport and the Canberra community," he said.
* A funeral for Mr Docker will be held at the chapel of Norwood Park Crematorium at 10.30am on Tuesday, November 7.
