Ron Melvin: dedicated his life to community

Tauranga is mourning the loss of a man dedicated to community service, Ronald Melvin.
Ron, as he was better known, passed away last month after an illness spanning almost 10 years.
His interests were vast and he touched many hearts in the local community through his endeavours, which included founding the Friends of the Library group and a 50-year association with The Elms.
Mr Melvin was born in Lower Hutt on August 28, 1927. He studied at teachers college in Christchurch and moved to Tauranga with his wife Norma to pursue his teaching career.
Mr and Mrs Melvin rented a three-roomed cottage in the grounds of the Mission House, while teaching at the Bethlehem Maori School.
Not long after, Mr and Mrs Melvin, who was also a teacher, spent four years in charge of a mission school run by the Presbyterian Church at Tanatana in the Urewera.
Along with his teaching duties, Mr Melvin filled an unofficial role as ambulance and hearse driver, as he was the only one in the community with a vehicle. He was also the registrar of births and deaths.
The couple again moved to Tauranga in 1952 and Mr Melvin pursued teaching opportunities at local schools. He taught in Mount Maunganui, then at Tauranga Intermediate, Tauranga Girls' College then Otumoetai Intermediate.
Mr Melvin had a vast knowledge of local history and specialised in numerous subjects, such as Rua Kenana the Tuhoe prophet, the Tarawera eruption, the demise of the pink and white terraces and Earnest Shackleton's adventures in Antarctica.
Mr Melvin's brother Alistar said he could talk expertly about carpentry, fly-tying, printing and book-binding.
Photography was another passion and Mr Melvin was a founding member of the Tauranga and District Photographic Society in 1956. He judged the first New Zealand Sound Slide contest in 1962.
"His camera collection grew to several hundred, many of which he painstakingly restored to working condition.
"But his interests didn't stop there - he had talent as an artist, learnt to play the clarinet, was a keen trout fisherman and an avid reader."
In the 1990s, Mr Melvin chaired The Elms Trust and was instrumental in overseeing the restoration of the historic library of Archdeacon Brown, and in placing the future care of the historic precinct in The Elms Foundation.
Mrs Melvin remembers her husband as a man who was always involved in the community.
He was also "very good with his hands" and made many things around the house.
"He enjoyed working and helping others, he was very keen and was a hands-on person," Mrs Melvin said.
"He liked people and he would always go out of his way to help others ... but we had time for each other and we had a campervan and went travelling. We worked together very well."
Mr Melvin is survived by his wife Norma, four children, six grandchildren and many great grandchildren.Genevieve Helliwell
Additional words by Alistar Melvin