Kevin Neilsen: Long-serving Gold Coast firefighter and Neilsen surfing dynasty member dies at 79

The second of the brothers Neilsen has died, with Kevin Neilsen being remembered as a man who left behind an incredible legacy. READ THE TRIBUTE

Kevin Neilsen, the second-born of the brothers Neilsen, has died at age 79. He was a long-serving firefighter on the Gold Coast after serving in the Royal Australian Air Force in the Vietnam War. Picture: Supplied

The second of the brothers Neilsen has died, with Kevin Neilsen being remembered as a man who left behind an incredible legacy.

Kevin Neilsen died on September 11 at age 79 after a period of ill health.

While a member of the surfing dynasty, Mr Neilsen instead took a different path in life, making his mark in the military, on the football field and in emergency services.

His son Paul paid tribute to his father as someone who left behind a legacy.

“He was the second-born of the six brothers and went into the military early in this life,” he said.

“After he came back from Vietnam he joined the Queensland fire service where he served for a long time and was very well-known.

“He became a bit of a spiritual leader around the Gold Coast for the fire brigade and was known for his ability to deal with difficult situations.

“He was very proud of his service.”

Mr Neilsen is survived by his wife Kay, who he married in 1989, his two sons, Paul and Brok and two granddaughters, Averi and Bambie, as well as his four brothers.

Kevin Neilsen was one of the founding members of the Broadbeach Cats AFC team in 1971. Picture: Supplied

His death comes more than a year after the passing of his younger brother Rick at age 74.

Rick had been one of the founders of Brothers Neilsen and was a key player in the surfing field in the late 1960s and 1970s before forging a successful career shaping surf boards, one of which his brother Paul rode to win the Australian Open Mens title in 1971.

After finish school, Mr Neilsen joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1961 and served until 1970.

During that time he served across a variety of postings before being sent to the Vietnam War in 1968 as a member of 2 Squadron.

It was during this time that he also engaged in his other great love, playing Aussie rules.

“He played at Surfers Paradise Football Club and was in the 1967 premiership team and then after he got back from Vietnam he crossed over to join Broadbeach AFC, where he was a member of the inaugural Cats team in 1971,” Paul Neilsen said.

“While he was good in the water, he played football, it was what he loved doing.

Mr Neilsen joined the fire brigade in the early 1970s and served for 34 years before retiring at the rank of assistant area director in 2006.

In the last decades of his life, Mr Neilsen and his wife Kay relocated to Kingscliff to live by the beach.

“Later in life they settled down in Kingscliff and he loved it down there by the beach,” his son said.

“He was a good pilot too and bought a plane which he loved to fly.”

Kevin Neilsen will be farewelled on Thursday at a funeral which will be held at Alambe Gardens cemetery from 3.30pm