Mrs Koce had many over-the-fence chats with Mr Foote.
"He was very helpful when I lost my husband. He was my handy guy."
She said although Mr Foote was a private man, she got along with him on things they had in common as neighbours, saying he was "a kind sort".
"We used to chat over the fence about our gardens and his kids. If I couldn't reach something or do something he would pop over the fence and help me."
Mrs Koce found out her former neighbour had died when she saw the front page of yesterday's Bay of Plenty Times.
"I looked at the photo, I nearly had a fit," she said.
As much as Mr Foote was like a son, she too was like a mother in return, she said.
"He was only just a couple of years older than my son, so I suppose I was like a mother to him also."
