Melville United members are mourning the loss of Life Member Steve Bettis who has died suddenly in Hamilton, aged 62.
“Steve B”, as he was widely known at the Waikato club, was one of Melville’s best-ever players and performed numerous off-the-pitch roles at the club as a long-time volunteer.
In a tribute to Bettis on the club’s website, the club listed his achievements with the club since he joined from Affco Rangers (Horotiu) in 1976. These include:
- First team player of the year in 1979, 1980, 1984 and 1986.
- Scoring the club’s first Northern League goal at Gower Park, in his side’s debut at the ground when it opened in 1982.
- A brief spell on the club’s committee which, in his words, he “hated every minute of it”.
- Making his final first team appearance in 2005, when in his 50s.
- Multi-tasking vital roles such as first team manager, pitch marker and setting up the number one pitch for home games.
- Shared the club’s Coach of the Year award in 2012 after helping with the club’s federation team.
- Life membership awarded in 2014.
Bettis died on Friday July 15, 2022, while working in a Hamilton gully.
The club’s online tribute to Bettis concluded: “Stevie B” will be deeply missed. For starters, it will need three or four people to cover the work he did on a weekly basis for the club.”
Stephen John Bettis (March 20, 1960 — July 15, 2022)
A service to celebrate Steve’s life will be held on Thursday 21 July 2022, at 11am, at Woodside Estate. All correspondence to Pellows, c/- PO Box 4449, Hamilton East, 3247.
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