Ray Parker worked on The Northern Echo’s sportdesk for about a decade, until 2003.
He covered all of the North-East’s major football teams during his spell in the region, as well as other sports including cricket.
But his real passion was for grassroots sport and he worked for many years on the Echo’s long-running ‘Local Heroes’ supplement.
Parker, a lifelong Luton fan who was born in Cambridgeshire, also worked at the South Wales Echo, Eastern Daily Press and, latterly, the South Wales Argus.
He wrote about sport at highest level yet was in his element in his final years at the Argus, covering Gwent football all the way down the levels along with Newport Wasps speedway.
Parker, who was “wonderfully blunt” when subbing stories, continued to indulge his passion in retirement.
“He loved to follow grassroots football rather than the Prima donnas, going to the Welsh Leagues and Merthyr Town rather than those at the top,” said his former workmate Paul Tully.
“Ray also loved his boxing and his cricket and he would enjoy going around the country to visit new grounds.
“He didn’t suffer fools gladly and was a genuinely nice bloke. We got on because of his acerbic, dry sense of humour that would always get a laugh out of me.”
Parker had the ability to sniff out a ground where there was tea in a polystyrene cup rather than prawn sandwiches.
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His partner Jan said: “The more obscure the better! We were up north having a holiday and he took me to this little place near Newcastle.
“There were benches around the pitch, around 12 other people watching and a chip van – he was in heaven!”
Parker also leaves his son, Gavin. Funeral arrangements are yet to be confirmed.
