Helen Clark's father George from Waihi Beach turns 100 on March 8. Photo / Rebecca Mauger
George Clark may be turning 100 next week but he can still beat all his daughters at cribbage.
''I can recall everything that's happened in my life, there's no dementia here. I have eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren and I know all their names — my memory is fantastic.''
George, from Waihi Beach, enjoyed a birthday gathering with family at the weekend (with vaccine passes required and Covid-19 guidelines followed) to celebrate the milestone birthday.
He puts his long life down to genetics, luck and lifestyle.
''I've never smoked a cigarette or drank much in my life. I've only eaten good food and I've worked hard.
''A long life is about ... 40 per cent genetics, 20 per cent luck and the rest is how you live your life.''
And, possibly, a teaspoon of cod liver oil every day, he says.
Young George
Frederick George Clark – always known as George — was born on March 8, 1922.
He was one of six children of parents Fred and Elizabeth Clark (George's grandfather and family were among the group of working-class ''Clarionette settlers'' from the United Kingdom who wanted to make New Zealand their new home).
Fred and wife Elizabeth settled in the Kaniwhaniwha Valley west of Hamilton on a 260-acre (105ha) farm of sheep and cattle where they raised their brood. George and his siblings loved farm life.
''My mum said we must have been born with strong bones because we fell off horses and were dragged by horses, we did all sorts, and yet we still survived.''
George's first year of schooling was by correspondence at home, but the Clarks were keen to have their children educated so the first three children trotted off to the area's first school in 1928 held in Bert Steel's old farm shed.
The shed was 5.2 metres by 2.9 metres. Shelving and desks were made up from old kerosene boxes.
Three of the Clark children were among the tiny roll of seven taught by Mrs Steel.
In 1931, the new Kaniwhaniwha School building was opened. George completed standard six (Year 8), passed the proficiency examination, and went with his brother Tom to board for three years at Mount Albert Grammar School in the 1930s.
They were known as ''Clark Major and Clark Minor''.
''The first few days we spent up a couple of big oak trees. We were country boys. You can take the boy out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of the boy.''
At age 17, George returned from school days to work on the farm. His older brother Tom later went to the war in the Pacific. Being a farmer was all George ever wanted to be, and he stayed working on the farm for a staggering (nearly) 50 years until he retired at age 65.
Home Guard
During World War II George joined the Home Guard while working full-time on the family farm.
"Some days we'd gone out and dagged a few sheep or drenched some lambs, and then gone off to Home Guard,'' he said in the book, Last Line of Defence: New Zealanders Remember the War At Home, launched by Helen (then arts, culture and heritage minister) in 2007. The book featured stories from New Zealanders on the home front but involved in the war.
Home Guard training was at the local hall. George recalls he missed the hand grenade training but was good at shooting — he mastered four bulls-eyes at 300 yards.
''So, I would have been quite good in the war,'' he says.
Family life
George met future wife Margaret when she came to Te Pahu to teach.
She was invited to a Clark family lunch. They married in Timaru in 1949.
The couple had four daughters — Helen, Suzanne, Jenefer, and Sandra. They have eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren – the youngest was born in London two weeks ago.
George was active in Federated Farmers – becoming chairman of its Waikato meat and wool section. He was also on the Te Pahu School committee.
In his spare time, George loved a good read and was a keen hunter of pigs and deer, and had the occasional trout fishing trip. He's always been an avid gardener.
The couple were avid travelers and some of their adventures included parts of the Trans-Siberian Railway, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, much of western Europe, Australia, Rarotonga, Argentina, and Chile.
Helen says her parents loved to follow her career.
''They always came to openings of Parliament and special occasions, and helped on election day.''
George has filled 15 scrapbooks of her highlights.
The couple retired to Waihi Beach in 1987. Margaret passed away in 2011.
George had spent holidays at Waihi Beach since he was a child and the plan was ''always'' to retire there. He loves it, wouldn't be anywhere else, he says.