Margaret Clark: Top educator, special mum

My mother, Margaret Helen Clark, passed away in Tauranga Hospital on August 17, just seventeen days before her 87th birthday, and 24 years to the day since she and my father retired from farming to Waihi Beach.

Margaret was a member of the generation of New Zealanders which was born between the two World Wars of the twentieth century and grew up during the Great Depression. Indeed the Second World War was declared on her fifteenth birthday.

Margaret's father, David McMurray, migrated to New Zealand from Ulster as a young man. He returned to Europe with the New Zealand Army, and was gassed on the Somme not long before the end of World War One. Her mother, Sarah McMillan, was the third generation of her family to live in the North Otago/South Canterbury area.

As a returned serviceman, David was allocated "rehab" farms near Balclutha; first at Romahapa, and later at Waitahuna where Margaret, the first born, lived as a small baby. Eventually the family settled in Timaru, where all eight children grew up.

Margaret spent most of her primary school years at Waimataitai Primary, attended Timaru Girls' High, and then went on to Christchurch Teachers' College.

On graduating, she taught at Waimataitai as a Probationary Assistant, and then relieved at Waimate, Blackball, Ruru, and Harewood Aerodrome Schools, before obtaining her first permanent appointment at Te Pahu Primary in the western Waikato in 1946.

There Margaret met my father, George Clark, whose family had farmed at Te Pahu since the beginning of the twentieth century. Margaret and George were married in St Paul's Church in Timaru in 1949, and celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary this year.

For the next 38 years Margaret and George lived at Te Pahu, raising our family of four girls there, and being very actively involved in the community. Mum served on the Parent-Teacher Association for the school, was a member of the Presbyterian Women's Guild, and was especially active in the Women's Institute, which recognised her service with a sixty year service award in 2009.

In 1987 Margaret and George retired to Waihi Beach, creating a home away from home for their children and grandchildren there. In her new community, Margaret continued her activity in the Women's Institute, and enjoyed being part of the Garden Circle, the Embroidery Club, and the Ladies' Guild at the United Church.

When their family entered adulthood, Margaret and George were able to travel widely, visiting Europe, including Turkey for the eightieth commemoration of the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli, Asia, and Latin America.

Margaret placed great emphasis on the education of her children. She herself had a wide general knowledge and an enquiring mind. She loved travelling to places far away which she had read about and studied. She had a great love of literature, including the modern - only months ago she was reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

As a family we will remember Margaret for her devotion to us and to her community, for her intellect, and for her strong values. Her passing leaves a huge gap in our lives which can never be filled.

Margaret is survived by her husband, George, four children, and eight grandchildren.