VALE ANDREW JANKOWSKI
Also known to Boomerang Members as Andrew Jones
Andrew passed away peacefully on the 25th of November 2009, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour approximately 6 months earlier, Andrew was 72. There was a funeral service at Arundel which was followed by a graveside service at the Mt Gravatt Cemetery held on the 1st of December.
Jonesy was one of the early members of Boomerang Squash Club. He joined in the 1964 winter season. His fellow team mates in the C6 Grade were, like Andrew, having their first season of Squash Pennants. The other team members were Peter Land, Greg Simpson, & Ted Ward. They won the grade. The following season, 1964-65, Andrew and Peter moved up to C2. Their mates were Gary Thomas, Bob Bergin & Ron Richardson and again they were successful in winning the grade. This team also won the C Grade Championship, which was a play off against all the other C Grade winners for the season.
The next season, 1965 winter, Andrew & Peter moved up several grades, this time to B1. Their team mates that season were Joe Williams, John Cameron & Bob Ford. Yet again they were successful in winning the grade and the team also won the B Grade Championship which was a playoff against the other B grade winners for the season.
Andrew's next Pennant success was in 1968-69 when he was part of the Club's first Team to win in the A2 Grade. His team mates that season were Ken Fraser, Brian King, Chris Whight, and Wal Kwit. Andrew won the 2nd Division of the club Championship in 1965, defeating Bob Ford in the final.
Away from the club Andrew was an accountant. He also had a great singing voice, and after working hours used to sing in Pubs, at Weddings and other Functions around Queensland. I remember that he was a guest at the wedding of Wally and Joan Kwit, Wally was one of Andrew's Squash Team Mates. Andrew sang one of his favorite songs (at that time) which was called "Blue Spanish Eyes".
Before Andrew took up Squash he was a top tennis player in Queensland, Barry Hartshorn who also was a tennis player before switching to Squash, remembers Andrew as a very good Tennis player.Though they played in a lot of the same tournaments, they never played against each other.
Andrew sadly lost his wife Merle to illness in 1989. He moved to Sydney for a couple of years but then returned to live at the Gold Coast until he passed away. Andrew's mate, who delivered the Eulogy, said he had known Andrew for 8 years and he knew him as a very competitive golf player and a great mate.
Ron Baranoff, who was a mate of Andrew's before and during his Squash Days, was at the service, said that Andrew's mate's description of our ex club member was exactly how Ron remembered him all those years ago. Another of Andrew's squash mates Ken Fraser attended the Arundel service.
Andrew is survived by his two daughters who both live in Brisbane.