Tribute to Dean Billing

VALE DEAN BILLING passed away on 13 November 2009
 

Dean was a great supporter of Tennis Seniors, being Tournament Director, Treasurer and Webmaster (both for South Australia and Tennis Seniors Australia). Dean grew up in Adelaide where he gained his tennis coaching qualifications. He married in 1951 and moved to Melbourne for business but only for two years. He decided he would rather coach tennis full time and so moved the family to Warrnambool, where there were some beautiful lawn courts but no resident coach.

Dean approached secondary schools in the area and began coaching school kids. He worked hard to make a success of being a professional tennis coach. He then took on management of the local squash centre, which he later bought and expanded into a thriving health centre. Dean began organizing tennis and later squash tournaments. He played squash well into his fifties before succumbing to knee problems, but continued to play tennis into his late sixties.

In 1986, after over 25 years in Warnambool, Dean sold the squash centre, retired and moved back to Adelaide. Within a year, he was elected on to the South Australia Veterans committee and became tournament director for the next SA Veterans Tennis championships. He completed nearly ten years of service to the committee as Tournament Director or Secretary on many occasions and competing in numerous veterans tournaments—with great success.

In 1992 Dean was awarded a ‘Significant Achievement Award’ from Tennis South Australia. While Dean couldn’t play competitive tennis after 1992, he continued as Tournament Director for many more Veterans tournaments. He bought a computer and set about conquering it, later becoming web master for the Australian and SA Veterans websites.

He received Life Memberships of Tennis Veterans Association of South Australia and Tennis SA also awarded him the Australian Veteran of the Year in 1993. In 2000 he received, to his great surprise, the Australian Sports Medal, acknowledged by HRH the Queen and signed by then Prime Minister John Howard and the Governor General, William Deane. He was quite overwhelmed, but thrilled to be recognized in this way.

Dean struggled with his health over the last two years but was determined to keep his mind active even when his body began to fail him. He had a fantastic impact upon those who knew him. The most common sentiment about Dean is what a loyal friend and decent person he has been.

Thanks to SA-VET Bulletin—Newsletter December 2009.