We were deeply saddened late yesterday to hear that Corbs passed away suddenly, yet peacefully earlier in the day. To all those that knew Peter there is no need to describe what a wonderful person he was and how much he meant to those at the club. Born in 1937 Peter grew up and lived in Naples Road, Mentone and was always close to Brindisi Street and the Football Club. He has been in good health and for this to happen has come as a complete shock to us all.
For those of you that didn’t know Peter personally he was inducted into the club’s inaugural Hall of Fame in 2004 as one of 10 Legends of the club. Below is the extract from that nights 2004 HOF publication.
“For more than fifty years there has been one constant for the Tigers at the Brindisi Street oval -the continuing presence of Peter Corboy. Peter had an amazing and record thirteen consecutive years from 1963 to 1975 as Treasurer of the Mentone Football Club. His work as Treasurer provided the club with financial stability during this time and under-pinned the building of the new pavilion in 1964. But more than Peter’s work in his official capacity has been his willingness and ability to assist in any area within the club that he has been asked to help, whether this has been as a committeeman, delegate or assisting with the canteen or juniors. This has seen Peter at the club almost nightly and is the reason why he has twice won Best Club Person awards with Mentone Football Club (1961 and 1963) and once with the St Bedes/Mentone Tigers AFC (1993) for his work. Peter was made a Life Member in 1967 and has received public and VAFA recognition for his services to football. In 2004, he fittingly had the new pavilion named after him.”
The naming of pavilion after Peter was in recoginition for his contribution to our club over many decades. It was particular significant at the time, as one of the government criteria for having a building named after you, was that you were deceased! We all saw the funny side, especially Peter, about the best way to go about this. There was one quick fix, but that was quickly ruled out by Peter himself. Finally, after much convincing approval was granted by the government body to name the Corboy Pavilion. All involved including Peter derived a great deal of pleasure when the building was officially opened that year.
What we will particularly miss though is Corbs jokes. They were always funny, but not necessarily or rarely politically correct. That was Corbs.
Peter’s funeral will be held at Bunurong Memorial Park, 790 Frankston Dandenong Rd, Dandenong South next Friday, July 19th at 2pm. We hope to give Peter a big send off. We’ll miss him.
Peter’s family has requested, in lieu of flowers, that donations to the Australian Cancer Research would be better. Peter had two sisters who both succumbed to breast cancer. He also had a surviving brother Clem and lives in Queensland as well as nieces and nephews.
– Dale Collins
St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC