Throughout 58 years of playing organ at Walla's Zion Lutheran Church, Mr Wenke, his funeral service heard, "really enjoyed giving those big pipes a good workout".

Mr Wenke, who died last week aged 84, first played for services in 1957 and over the decades contributed to 80 weddings and numerous funerals.

A plaque placed on the organ recognises his commitment to playing.

He also conducted and played for the church choir and served on committees connected to music, worship, carols and maintenance as well as a term as congregation chairman.

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A farmer for 68 years, Mr Wenke took up the organ aged in his early 20s, learning from the late Graham Stocks, of Albury.

Ten years into his musical career came the dedication of the church's new instrument, a pipe organ with 1364 pipes first built in 1869 and renovated before being transported to Walla.

"I made the first sounds come out of this organ," Mr Wenke told The Border Mail in 2007.

"Too right I was good at practice; I didn't want to play if I couldn't do it properly."

Family and friends attending his funeral service at Zion Lutheran Church on Thursday heard Mr Wenke was also passionate about the organ's maintenance.

"It was not unusual to find him up in the pipes tuning the reeds before a weekly service, making good use of his children and, more recently, grandchildren in holding the notes while he tuned them," they heard.

Born January 19, 1935, Mr Wenke attended school at Walla Central and Albury High and did National Service training at Puckapunyal in 1954.

He married Grace Kohlhagen in 1961 and the couple raised three children, Craig, also an organist, Lyneen and Cheryl.

Mr Wenke played cricket for 44 years, contesting 24 grand finals for 15 premierships and also represented Riverina.

He later became president of Walla Cricket Club and vice president of Brocklesby and District Cricket Association, receiving life membership from both organisations.

He was also a life member of Walla Football Club, working as a scoreboard attendant for 45 years.

Other community service included being a past president and member of Walla Fire Brigade, with 50 years' contribution to the Rural Fire Service, a director of the Rural Lands Board for 24 years and member of Walla Historical Society.

Mr Wenke is survived by his wife Grace, his three children and their partners and eight grandchildren.

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