Vale Pat Mackey

30.8.1937 – 17.07. 2023 

Pat Mackey passed away peacefully on the 17 July after a long illness.  His presence in the Latrobe community was nothing short of extraordinary and his impact will long be remembered by those fortunate enough to have in any way shared his journey.

Pat attended St Virgil’s College as a boarder from 1946-54. On leaving school he commenced work with the family business – the Royal Hotel in  Latrobe. It was here that Pat was in his element, revelling in the company of customers, encouraging their antics and creating an atmosphere of laughter and joy.  His lived experience and captivating stories left their mark on many.

Pat’s contributions extended beyond the walls of the Royal Hotel. For a period he ventured into real estate, and also dedicated himself to public service as a member of the Latrobe Council from 1977 to 1986. During his tenure, he held the role of Treasurer from 1977 to 1982 and again in 1984.

His involvement Bi-centenary of Federation Project – the Latrobe Community Story – was yet another testimony to his storytelling prowess. Pat’s ability to immortalize the tales of countless community members through his storytelling was nothing short of magical.  Whenever Pat was in ‘story mode’ he had your full attention, painting vivid pictures of the community’s shared history.

Pat was a wonderful contributor to the Latrobe Football Club.  He played 168 games at Latrobe and is remembered as one of the best full backs in the league of that era. Pat received Life Membership of our club in 1982 and like  his father Harry before him, was also a Patron of the club.

Pat’s passion for preserving memories and honouring the past led to his being invited onto the Darrell Baldock Memorial Committee which established the Memorial Gate and Statue  to honour his great mate ‘Doc’ at the Latrobe Recreation Ground in 2014.