Home > Rowing Profiles > Coe, Horace (Dick)

Horace (Dick) Coe

Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC)

Son of Joe brother to Des father of Andrew, David, Malcolm, and Margaret husband of Margaret Coe (senior)

Joined 1948/49 as a junior member and passed away in the 1992/93 season.

1954/55 Vice-Captain

1958/59 - 59/60 also 1972/73

1973/74 - 75/76 Assistant secretary

1976/77 - 77/78 Captain

1979/80 Vice president

Regatta wins:-

1949 - Hobart regatta maiden four (3) seat

1949 - Sale regattamaiden eight (7) seat

1953 - Sale regattajunior four (3) seat

1975 - Banks regatta veteran 4 (3) seat

1975 - Dimboola regatta veteran 4 (3) seat

1979 photo Dick 2nd from left

From the Yarra Yarra Rowing Club newsletter 'Yarra Yabbie' no 48, 1993-7-20

Vale Dick Coe

Dick passed away, in May, after a long fight with cancer. There was a large representative of relatives and friends at the funeral.

Dick joined the club in 1943 as a coxswain, when his father Joe was captain. Dick progressed to oarsman, and coach at both Yarra Yarra and Melbourne High School. He went onto become captain and a committee member for many years. His wife Margaret rowed for Albert Park Ladies Rowing Club and represented Victoria, their sons rowed for Yarra with success, David, Andy, and Malcolm. Daughter “little” Maggie rowed for YWCA and coached at Yarra. Granddaughter Lindel was our youngest member for a few years. Truly a rowing family.

Dick served in the Navy where he was attached to the fleet air arm and survived an air crash which resulted in his deafness. He was in insurance for many years, and studied German, and Ancient Egyptian in order to understand historical research. Dick was also a competent painter (not houses), and an elder of his church.

He will be greatly missed by all who have known him.

Our condolences to his family.

From the 1992/93 annual report:-

Mr Horace (Dick) Coe Dick was a member of the well-known Coe dynasty, members of Yarra for at least three generations, He was a member of the club for more than 50 years having joined in the early 49’s at the time when his father Charlie was captain and brother Des was a member in addition to being a coxswain and successful oarsman, Dick served Yarra as Captain, Committee and Vice President.

Dick’s wife Margaret, herself a successful rower with the Albert Park Ladies RC and later to represent Victoria, supported Dick in his enthusiasm for rowing and together they encouraged their daughter Margaret and sons David, Andrew, and Malcom to excel in the sport, whilst the boys of course rowed at Yarra Yarra, and the clubs refusal to accept women as members until 1983 meant that Margaret rowed for their mothers club APLRC.

Dich maintained his love for, and involvement with Yarra Yarra until the end. He pursued his policy of encouraging novices as long as he was able, despite suffering some seven years of increasing disability. In his passing the club has a lost a true friend, an able and committed worker and a cheerful and selfless member.

Jim Skidmore
June 2023

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The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
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