Canberra Region Rugby League said in a statement Cox died peacefully on Wednesday night following a "long battle with illness", surrounded by loved ones.

Cox was a former chairman at the Rams, a foundation player and in 2021 he was a Medal of the Order of Australia recipient for his services to rugby league.

His work with the Rams spanned decades, and his passing has been felt at every level of the club.

"He was the godfather of the Rams," Woden Valley coach Billy Thomson said.

"Right from our juniors all the way through Peter was loved and well-respected within the rugby league community in Canberra.

"He invested his heart and soul into the place for most of his life and unselfishly so. It was never for a reward, it was never for anything other than his true passion and love for the club. That's an incredible legacy for him to leave. It means so much to all of us."

Thomson was moved when reflecting on the impact Cox had at the Rams, particularly with his efforts through its lowest points when the club's survival was on the line.

"We've gone through some hard times," Thomson said. "There were really tough times when we've lost our clubhouse, when we were going broke, and we couldn't afford to pay players.

"A lot of other clubs in Canberra would have been unable to sustain it and folded. It wasn't just Pete, but he was one of the catalysts behind that survival.

"When it got tough, he was the first one to put his hand up, but when we had a lot of success, and won grand finals he took a step back - that's the way he was.

"He was incredibly important to this club. I'm pretty confident in saying that the club would not exist in in the way it is today without Peter Cox."

Thomson described Cox as a "beautiful man" who would be sorely missed.

"He was my coach from a young age, a mentor, and a friend, so it's really tough," Thomson said.

"He was a man's man, a real bloke. He loved to be around football, talking football, being around young people and mentoring them. He could talk to the Queen or a busker across the street and he would treat them the same."

Woden Valley have already begun planning how to best honour Cox following his passing.

This weekend players will wear black armbands and a more permanent way to commemorate his legacy at the Rams is in the works, including at Phillip Oval.

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