Burnett region mourns Trevor James Pitts

A country identity lovingly nicknamed ‘cat of nine lives’ has been remember for his great passion for life and sport, his gentle spirit and his heart of gold.

The loved ones of Trevor Pitts is mourning the loss a local sportingand community legend, who has left an enduring legacy spanning generations.

The Nanango community is mourning the loss of Trevor James Pitts, a “true larrikin”, who contributed massively to rugby clubs across the Wide Bay and Burnett regions.

The “leader and family man” died on August 14, 2023, from old age, at the Kingaroy Hospital surrounded by family.

He was born in Nanango in July 24, 1939, to Jim and Marjorie Pitts, who owned a family butcher, carrying on their Yorkshire family tradition, which Trevor took over when he was 21 years old.

Mr Pitts married Valerie in Nanango in 1961,and together they raised raised Karen, Kim and James and became grandparents to Sarah, Kate, Lauren, Daniel, Thomas, Ned and Ella.

Trevor and Valerie Pitts were married for 61 years.

The couple connected at a young farmers event and “were inseparable” from then on.

Mr Pitts’ daughter Karen McCormack said her mother wasn’t quite as big a larrikin as her father.

“She kept him on the straight and narrow,” Mrs McCormack said.

“We jokingly say that there’s a Pitts’ gene called, ‘being easily socially excitable’ and luckily this has been passed on readily through the generations,” she said.

Mrs McCormack said her father loved sport, and played cricket, tennis, squash, golf and lawn bowls, where he made most of his friends.

Granddaughter Kate McCormack said her grandfather’s greatest sporting accomplishment was coaching several rugby league teams across the Wide Bay and Burnett.

“During the 60s and 70s he took the boys up to all the selections and trials,” Miss McCormack said.

Mrs McCormack said Mr Pitts cherished family gatherings, spending time with extended family members for card nights, barbecues and parties,” Mrs McCormack said.

Trevor Pitts played for and coached rugby league teams across the Wide Bay and Burnett.

In the 1970s, the family acquired a cattle property at Kangaloon, west of Kingaroy, where Mr Pitts embraced farm life, riding horses and raising brafords.

Mrs McCormack said Mr Pitts loved his life on the farm and embraced the chance to rarely wear shoes, or brush his hair.

“He loved the challenge of raising brafords and the whole family would gather for mustering weekends,” she said.

“This was the time he would regale us with stories around the bar of the early Nanango days.”

Mr and Mrs Pitts retired to the Sunshine Coast after 20 years on the farm, as Mr Pitts’ health made it increasingly difficult to manage the heavy work and riding.

“They spent a great five years playing bowls and travelling in their caravan,” Mrs McCormack said.

In July 2022, Mr and Mrs Pitts relocated to Cross Care Karinya at Nanango.

Trevor and Valerie Pitts and family.

Miss McCormack said he was the sort of man most of Nanango knew from his long, colourful yarns at the Fitzroy Hotel.

“We will miss his gentle spirit most; he had a heart of gold and was a soft teddy bear inside,” she said.

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“He and (Valerie) chose to leave their coastal retirement life to return to the South Burnett and help mum, Kim and James raise all seven of us.

“Our cat of nine lives will be loved and remembered long after today. His stories retold and shared to our children, his legacy living on in the South Burnett and beyond,” she said.

Mr Pitts’ funeral was held at the South Burnett Crematorium on August 22, 2023.