Earlier this year, one of the oldest residents in our little village passed away. Harry was something of an icon around our district, he first came to Waipara back in the early 1940s on a short term railway posting and, 70 years later, he was still a local icon.
Harry was an inspirational figure, and pretty much every building and organisation in town bears his handprints - either literal or metaphorical. He was an important figure in the local volunteer fire brigade, the Scout group, the Lions Club and many others. He was a central figure in creating many of the public buildings that are well-utilised even today. Harry was, in the truest sense of the words, the quintessential "good bugger." He would do anything for anyone and lived a full and rewarding life knowing that he had given more than he had taken.
READ MORE:
• Premium - Ben Kepes: How about some economic stimulation that trickles up, not down
• Premium - Ben Kepes: Technology, the bane of small businesses' existence
• Ben Kepes: Reinventing feudalism - Is this what we want for NZ?
• Premium - Ben Kepes: Todd Muller lacks identity with small business
Harry was a modest chap, every time someone pointed out what an inspirational figure he was, he'd reply, in his low, slow, salt-of-the-earth voice: "Well, you know, I always say that I've been very lucky."
Harry was never one for self-promotion, and only a few people were privileged to be invited into his lounge to see the special lifetime award the Lions Club presented him a few years ago.