The man who pioneered radio news on the Gold Coast has sadly died early today at the age of “just over 80” after a long illness.
Maurie Service was a member of the original staff of radio 4GG on the Gold Coast after working in radio news and other roles at 3KZ and 3AW in Melbourne and stints on regional radio in Victoria.
He had been in the Hopewell Hospice on the Gold Coast where he was receiving treatment for a severe cancer.
Outside radio, Maurie was a legend in Australian Rules in Victoria and the Gold Coast, firstly as a boundary umpire, rising to the ranks of probably the most respected centre and goal umpires anywhere the game is played, including the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
He received a surprise visit from a squad of players and officials from the Gold Coast Suns only two weeks ago where he was presented with a team shirt and cap – a gesture that thrilled him immensely.
Details of Maurie’s funeral service will be announced as soon as they have been completed by his family.
On a personal note, it was my privilege to have started working with Maurie at 4GG in 1972 and we maintained contact ever since, if only to sledge each other over which code of football was the best – Rules or League.
Although Maurie was best regarded as a rascal off the air, one of his last comments was to condemn the Australian cricket team’s actions with ball tampering in South Africa, saying it had unfairly brought the whole of Australian sport under a world-wide spotlight.
The above message came from Ross Thompson
His passing was also reported on the The Radio Green Room.