Sad news with Ron Menchi, a dedicated Empire Club and TTNZ member for as long as anyone can remember and a good friend to so many, passed away on Monday.
Requiem Mass will be celebrated in the Church of St Martin de Porres, Park Avenue, Lower Hutt on Wednesday 13 April 2016 at 1pm. All communications to: Menchi family c/- P O Box 30067 Lower Hutt 5040.
Our condolences to Ron’s family and to those who knew him on behalf of all the Wellington table tennis family.
Here is an excerpt from Robin Radford’s 2014 Hall of Fame publication (ref TTNZ):
A stalwart of Hutt Valley, Ron was elected to the New Zealand Executive Committee in 1965. He continued to serve the national body for a period of 32 years before retiring in 1996, the year the new Board format came into existence. Ron began his administrative interest in 1955 when elected to Petone’s Empire Table Tennis Club committee, serving as club captain from 1957 to 1989, a record which will be difficult to beat. In 2009, the club’s 75th Jubilee year, he served as Chairman. Heavy involvement with the building developments was another area where his wide expertise came to the fore, along with coaching and fundraising.
On the National Executive Committee, Ron was involved in many areas. Development, Seedings and Rankings, Tours, Tournaments and Coaching were areas he excelled in, being very thorough in any job he took on. Ron became Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee (later to become Management Committee) in 1972 and Chairman in 1982. He stepped down as Chair in 1993, remained on the Committee till 1996 and served on the Technical Committee until 2000. He was an excellent Chairman in all respects, having a profound knowledge of table tennis issues.
He was awarded Life Membership in 1992. Ron was Convenor of the New Zealand selection panel for eight years from 1972. Another area he became involved in was Liaison Officer at National Tournaments, where his knowledge was well respected and helped solve many issues.
In 1984 Ron chaired the TTNZ 50th Jubilee Committee when the celebrations were held in Trentham. It seems appropriate that 25 years later he should be inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Table Tennis Wellington 