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News
 Hall of Fame Pays Tribute To Yvonne Kerr
The Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame pays tribute a selfless volunteer who devoted her services to the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame and who sadly passed away this week.
Yvonne Kerr, born in Brisbane on 26th February 1926, was the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame House Director since inception and devoted her life to sport, sporting development and the community - so we wish to recognise her significant achievements in our sporting community.
Prior to World War II, Yvonne played tennis with her brother and father in the greater Brisbane Tennis fixtures - sadly her brother was killed serving with the Australian Navy in Singapore.
Yvonne played squash in the first squash fixtures to be played in Queensland at Parkyns Court at New Farm.
She even played the famous Heather McKay and was beaten 9 love, 9 one, but hey, it was Heather McKay.
Yvonne was employed by the Queensland Government Education Department as a National Fitness Sports Officer for 10 years teaching sport throughout Queensland.
She would also organize and accompany groups of country children during school holidays to the National Fitness Recreation Camp at Tallebudgera - the Games Village for this year's Special Olympic athletes.
After resigning from National Fitness she managed the Annerley Squash Centre and taught the game to hundreds upon hundreds of school children.
When she was 35 she somehow found time to marry Tom Kerr and moved to Mt Isa where her daughter Kym was born in 1967 - Tom was an outstanding tennis player and was President of the local association.
In 1968 Yvonne and Tom moved to the Gold Coast and Yvonne played tennis - in typical style, she became President of the Wednesday Ladies Tennis Fixtures, a position she held for an amazing 26 years.
Yvonne represented Queensland in Veterans Tennis touring the State, Australia and New Zealand, winning many titles with her partner Ivy Ham who tragically died in a car accident aged 90.
When Tom Kerr sadly passed away in 1996 Yvonne retired from representing Queensland.
She then threw herself selflessly into volunteerism, devoting her services to the Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame and the Blue Nurses for 15 years where she raised an untold amount of money through concerts, fetes, and the like.
For seven years Yvonne was in charge of the usherettes at the Queensland Hardcourts, Ladies Australian Masters Golf, PGA Golf, Indy, Pan Pacific Masters Games and Gold Coast Recreation and Sport - One amazing lady!
The Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame wishes to pay tribute to Yvonne Kerr and show our sincere appreciation for the woman who helped make the hall what it is today.
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