The following obituary to Jim is on the reverse of the Jim Maude Memorial Trophy – here quoted verbatim except for an item in square brackets:

VALE: “OLDE” JIM MAUDE

The rallying fraternity was shocked to learn of the death of Jim Maude who died after a long battle with failing health early this month.

Jim, “Maudie” or “Olde Jim” as he was affectionately known amongst his wide circle of friends, succumbed to his illness, which he fought to the very end, in a Melbourne hospital, leaving the rally world saddened at his untimely demise.

Aged 54, Jim was a long-time competitor in rallying, predominantly in Victoria, but was widely known right throughout Australia for his navigational and co-driving prowess, having ridden with numerous different drivers over the years. He was a competitor at all levels, having competed in all grades of events from club level to ARC events.

“Maudie” liked the long distance navigational events best – he was an aggressive navigator who would push his drivers to go that little bit faster. His favourite saying while navigating was “power, power”.

Always a cheerful person when he was competing in his favourite sport, even when things were going wrong, Jim Maude loved rallying like few other people. He was the Area Co-ordinator for the Heathcote-Bendigo area of Victoria for around 13 years and during this time he built us tremendous goodwill with the authorities, residents and anyone he came into contact with.
He often went out of his way to assist directors who were struggling with their events, many times selecting the routes and assisting with the paperwork to ensure that the event ran successfully.

Whilst living at nearby Tooborac in the 70s, many events started and finished at his corner store and he assisted competitors by catering and scoring, even putting up tired directors and competitors at event’s end. This practice continued on when he [and Faye] took over the local squash courts at Heathcote, and Sunday mornings would see the courts lined with sleeping bags full of worn out competitors.

Jim helped put Tooborac on the map when he organized the start of the prologue to the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial at the town’s football ground. He organized the townsfolk to cater for the rally and to generally become involved. The town has never seen anything like it before or since. As a director Jim involved with the “Otways” round of the Victorian Championship for several years in the late 70s and regularly directed trials events in the Heathcote and Bendigo area in the early 1980s. He was also a director of the ultimate navigational event in that state – the “Experts” – later on. His events were legendary. It was the aim of every good map shuffler to outsmart Maudie by cleanings every section in his events, a feat which very few achieved.

“Olde Jim” competed in the very-navigational Tasmanian State Series early in 1980, but his aim was always to win the LCCA’s “Experts Trial” – something he never achieved.

He was a man for all seasons – over the course of his lifetime he checked events, set up controls, scored, manned controls, acted as area co-ordinator, imparted his vast rallying knowledge to others who wanted his advice, and navigated for many drivers.
He claimed during this year’s Alpine that George Kahler was the 41st driver he had navigated for, and that he was aiming for the half century before too long. Although he knew that his health was failing, he continued cheerfully on (he was entered as navigator for Dinta Officer in the Akademos Rally just a week before he died, but was forced to withdraw because of his hospitalization.)

One could never forget the look of disappointment on Maudie’s face when, after having spent a week perfecting his pace notes for the 1990 Rally Australia, he and Eric Pietila were forced to retire after only a couple of sections. Jim couldn’t stand the agony of standing by watching and not competing.

Our memories of Jim Maude are those (in later years) of his cheerful, bearded face appearing out of the forest with yet another driver, and his hand waving frantically out the window to spectators at spectator points, while his foot operated the car’s horn from the floor.

He will be sadly missed by all those he came into contact with in his beloved sport of rallying, and the sport will be a great deal worse for his passing. To his wife Faye and children Heidi and Brett we express our deep regret at his death, as undoubtedly do all his friends.

Jim Maude’s funeral was held at Heathcote on May 8 when hundreds of people turned up to pay their last respects. We understand that his last wishes were that his ashes be spread in the forest just prior to the “Experts” rally, where he “rallied so often.

Dave Cochrane’s tribute in the death notices so aptly put it –
“From Rocket Lake to Pipeline Track,
From Mt. Sabine to Whroo and back,
Out of the dust a wave, a smile,
Nearly there, just one more mile.”

Vale, “Olde” Jim Maudie. This must be the first time you’ve ever booked in early to the final control.