A STALWART of Okehampton Rugby Club has died after a long battle with cancer.

Edward John Cann, known to all as Ted, was a local man, born in 1929, and he lived in Okehampton for all his 88 years.

He was too young to take any part in the Second World War, but subsequently did National Service in the RAF. Ted married his wife Pat in 1958 and they had two children, Janet and Roger, and three grandsons.

Ted worked for Post Office Telecommunications, subsequently British Telecom, for most of his working life, becoming a supervisor and project manager. He was widely known in the town for his friendliness and reliability and led a happy and fulfilled life.

Ted had a 70-year long association with Okehampton Rugby Club and had latterly been known as the Father of the Club. Ted helped to organise the first game, played in Simmons Park, following the end of the war at the age of 17, and also played in that game. The 70th anniversary of this event was celebrated by a lunch at the club in September 2016 at which Ted and Pat were the guests of honour.

Ted became a stalwart of the club, playing mainly at Hooker, and played throughout the 1950s, captaining the team in the 1957-8 season. He was instrumental in keeping the club going, along with Tartar Whellam and Harold Beavan, finally hanging up his boots in his early thirties. All through this period the club had led a nomadic existence, playing in Simmons Park or at the camp, and changing in various locations in the town.

It was Ted’s ambition that the club should have a permanent home, something he was to play a major part in bringing to fruition in the role of the club’s honorary secretary. He proved perfect for this role, and his prolific hand-written letters, signed E. Cann Hon Sec, were famous throughout the county.

Ted was a stickler for detail and with his attention to detail to the fore, the club, with Dr David Shields and Frank Webb among others also prominent, was able to raise the funds needed to buy the old showground site which was to become the club’s permanent home.

Plans for a new clubhouse were drawn up by Peter Woodgate and the building work carried out by Eddie Hawkins, with a lot of help from members. Ted continued as secretary until the mid-1990s, and even after relinquishing that role he continued to be active in the club, always ready to carry out whatever task was required, right up until last summer.

Throughout his illness, Ted Cann remained active and only five weeks before he died he gave his daughter, Janet, away at her wedding.

A fairly rapid deterioration followed and Ted died in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital on Sunday, October 8. His funeral on Friday, October 27 was attended by his family and many friends from the rugby club, but also members of other clubs in Devon and officials of Devon RFU.

After Ted’s funeral, his family and friends were invited to Okehampton Rugby Club for refreshments. His family wished to express their gratitude for the support they have received. They attended the First XV home game on Saturday against Gloucester team Newent.

Before the game, the teams lined up for a minute’s applause to show respect for Ted’s long involvement with rugby. The family then watched the home side win a first-ever victory over Newent, a fitting tribute to Ted which would have brought a smile to his face.

Adam Holliday, from the club, said: ‘There was an immaculately observed minute’s applause before the kick off as the club said goodbye to Ted “Mr ORFC” Cann. The man who epitomised all that is good about Okehampton Rugby Club, was surely looking down with approval and a smile on his face as his beloved charges produced a gritty second half display, smattered with the occasional flourish, to secure another valuable four league points.’

Ted will be sadly missed by all who knew him, but with fond memories and the greatest respect for a gentleman and rugby man through and through.