Memorial to be held for respected Katikati constable

A memorial will be held for respected retired policeman Ian Simpson (left) this month. Also pictured are John Fitzgerald and Lindsay Freeman.

The life of Katikati's first traffic officer Ian Simpson is to be celebrated next weekend.

The 79-year-old passed away during lockdown — at home with wife Ineke — who would like to give him the send-off he deserves now Covid-19 alert levels have been lowered.

It would have been Ian's 80th birthday this month and Ineke has chosen a memorial date close to his birthday.

George Ian Simpson (known as Ian) was born in 1940 in Sheffield, England. His family moved to New Zealand in 1951 and Ian studied compositing.

Ian and Ineke (from the Netherlands) met at night typing classes in Wellington when they were just teenagers.

Their very first date was a memorable one.

Ineke had missed the train home and Ian offered to give her a ride on the back of his L-plate Vespa scooter. The wee scooter was not designed for two but they clambered aboard, only to be pulled up by Des, ''the most notorious traffic cop in Wellington''.

Des gave them a telling-off but let them off, and Ian went on to become a traffic officer himself.

''He loved being on a bike and going everywhere. He always had one,'' Ineke says.

The two were each other's first (and only) love. They married in 1963, both aged 21.

In the mid-1960s the couple returned to England for a year and the Netherlands for three years. They loved to travel and once toured Europe on a BMW motorbike.

On their return to New Zealand the couple adopted two girls (Karen and Rachel, now aged 49 and 48 respectively). Ian became a traffic officer in Rotorua — a vocation he loved as it involved riding a motorbike.

An amazing opportunity arose in Katikati in 1973. Ian became Katikati's first resident traffic officer. Katikati's traffic safety was previously overseen by Tauranga.

''He loved the job. He was highly respected.''

They bought their house in Jocelyn St, where Ineke still lives. Ian stayed on as a policeman when the two services merged in 1992.

''He didn't want to be a policeman in the beginning, it wasn't what he signed up for. He wanted to be on a bike. But he enjoyed it in the end.''

Ian retired as a senior constable in 2000.

Ineke describes Ian as ''not shy'' and very smart.

''He was so clever. He made everything and he fixed everything. He repaired clocks and there's clocks all over the place. He loved to get over the problem - when he couldn't figure it out he'd spend hours getting to the bottom of it.''

Ian loved to work with wood and there are wood models throughout their home and garage — some functional, some just for fun. He once made an Indian canoe - ''He steamed the wood himself using a jug.''

Ian is survived by Ineke, his two daughters, two grandchildren and beloved dog Sam.

■ The Simpson family would like to invite those wishing to pay tribute to Ian to a memorial service at Katikati RSA & Citizens Club at 11am on October 11. RSVP Karen 021 213 6140 or Ineke 549 0006.