Former Gympie High students pay respects to Peter Knopke

Tributes flow to the legacy of basketball coach and legendary high school teacher Peter Knopke, who influenced the lives of students from Gympie, Gatton and Kingaroy.

Tributes flow for Peter Knopke, 'joyful and humorous' high school teacher and basketball coach.

Past students have paid their respects to the inspirational, one-of-a-kind, humorous, joyful and selfless Gympie State High School teacher and basketball coach Peter ‘Knockers’ Knopke.

“He was the sort of bloke that you wanted to keep in touch with,” Lismore breakfast radio announcer Ruth Woodhams said, describing her former Year 11 and 12 elective teacher at Gympie High.

Tributes have flowed for Peter Knopke, 'joyful and humorous' high school teacher and basketball coach.

“He was enthusiastic about literature and song lyrics, we did an elective where we’d analyse song lyrics, he has a mountain of knowledge about music,” she said.

Now working at 2LM in Lismore, Mrs Woodhams recalled how despite graduating from school, she kept in touch with Mr Knopke, the two sharing a love of music and literature.

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Mrs Woodhams and her two younger brothers, Brian and Peter Stumer, said they found a friend and a teacher in Mr Knopke, despite being newcomers to Gympie High from Toowoomba in the 1980s.

Peter Stumer is now the principal at Pimlico High School in Townsville, and went on to teach and coach basketball, a choice largely influenced by Mr Knopke.

“It wasn’t just me who he influenced,” he said.

“He was the driving force behind the basketball team, and many students went on to play NBL or get college scholarships in the United States,” Mr Stumer said.

“Humour was such a massive part of his teaching.”

Gympie Basketball Association paid respects to Mr Knopke, pointing to the legacy left by the “life member, ex-President, Phoenix Club founder and junior coaching legend”.

“A true legend who played a pivotal role in the development of our club in the late 80s/early 90s.”

Tributes flow for Peter Knopke, a 'joyful and humorous' high school teacher and basketball coach.

After teaching in Gympie, Mr Knopke transferred to Gatton in the early to mid-90’s for a couple of years.

He then moved to Maryborough, where he met his wife, Pamela Knopke, this was “another chapter of his life” she said. Here he started coaching boys and girls rugby league teams, before teaching in Hervey Bay.

“I remember clearly him bringing the jerseys home for me to wash,” Mrs Knopke humorously remembered.

“He had a real ability to relate to the kids that he both taught, coached, and helped them discover their inner potential.”

Mr Knopke died aged 67 years, and his funeral service was held on April 28, 2023, at Maryborough Cemetery.

He was a guiding influence, source of inspiration, humour and joy for the students he taught throughout his life in Gatton, Kingaroy and Gympie, Maryborough and Hervey Bay.

The dearly loved husband of Pamela, beloved son of Walter and Miriam (both deceased) and loved brother of Patricia, Donald and Gloria and uncle to their families, his funeral notice read.

His legacy continues on in the memories of his family, friends and past students.

Originally published as Former Gympie High students pay respects to Peter Knopke