GEELONG Football Club leaders have pointed to an extraordinary six-decade demonstration of devotion and dependability after the loss of former premiership player and president Ron Hovey.

Mr Hovey played for his club in premiership triumphs, skippered his club in following years, was an enduring president through a challenging era and remained forever ardent and involved.

A wave of lament followed the death of the club great and family man after his death on Tuesday at 82.

“A wonderful servant of the club. A great icon of the club,” president Colin Carter said.

media_camera Ron Hovey, right, with Terry Hogan and John Hyde.

“There aren’t too many people who’ve walked that path over such a period of time, and he was unfailingly modest.”

Mr Hovey first rolled up to Kardinia Park on his pushbike with his gladstone bag on his handlebars in 1948.

He went on to play 141 games, including 1951 and ’52 premierships, mainly in defence and sometimes midfield, acclaimed for his balance.

He represented Victoria in 1955 and 1959 and skippered the Cats in 1960 before his career was interrupted by a knee injury.

Later a committeeman, he was president from 1988 to 1998.

Frank Costa hailed his predecessor as a great man for Geelong, club and city.

media_camera Ron Hovey’s photograph of himself and Gary Ablett.

“Of course he took over the presidency of the club and saw it through some pretty tough times in the late 1980s and ’90s when Geelong was rocked by (the collapse of) Pyramid,” Mr Costa said.

“It was a pretty hard time to run a football club and Ron did it extremely well.

“Geelong in general and the football club in particular will be very, very sad through the loss of Ron Hovey, the level of respect for Ron Hovey across this city is solid all the way.”

Mr Hovey also ran a major transport business, employing players along the way including champion Gary Ablett Senior.

He particularly rejoiced in Ablett’s improbable heroics on the field.

Premierships teammate Russ ‘Hooker’ Renfrey said Hovey was always admired and was a loyal attendee at regular player dinners across the decades.

“He was just a good bloke, just a good bloke, simple as that,” Mr Renfrey said,

“And we’ll miss him like hell.”