‘You did what you could’

ALL IN THE FAMILY: The Kearney children, from left, Helen, Ian, Sister Cynthia and Trish. Picture supplied

The Kearney family — Nell and John and their four children — arrived in Gisborne from Palmerston North in 1957.

John had secured a job with the Public Trust here, and the family set up house in Kaiti.

The four children — Cynthia, Ian, Patricia and Helen — all went to St Mary's School and then Campion College.

They all grew up to be the “quiet leaders” of their community, Patricia says.

“Like our dad, we did things in the background.

“He used to help a lot of people in a quiet way. He was known as a quiet gentleman.”

The children accompanied their father on his daily visits to Dunblane rest home where he looked after an elderly man who had no relatives.

“He would shop for him, get him library books, and invite him home,” Sister Cynthia said.

She went on to join the Catholic order Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission, and is the most recently honoured in her family.

They helped everyone who needed it, she says, at one time taking in a 12-year-old boy who the state was unable to find a home for. They also helped two Mormon boys who could not find accommodation to rent.

“That was how we were role-modelled, to assist anyone who needed it,” Sister Cynthia said.

Her brother Ian said it was a way of life that “came to us naturally”.

“We never thought of getting any recognition for it; we were just doing what we saw our parents do growing up.”

All were good swimmers and were involved in the Gisborne Swimming Club.

“Mrs Beth Meade used to take us to the North Island swimming championships,” said Sister Cynthia.

“Mr John Page was my swimming coach. He was very kind, I always remember him.

“We went to Palmerston North and Hawke's Bay to represent Gisborne in the swimming championships.

“One person I remember to this day is Kath Bullen, who gave me her running shoes.

“All these people encouraged us to share our knowledge and contribute by giving back to the younger members, coaching them and helping them participate,” said Patricia.

She played netball for St Mary's in the 1960s and represented Poverty Bay. She went on to coach swimming for many years and was a netball referee.

Patricia Hanlen, to use her married name, settled in Tauranga, and was the first to be honoured for her services there through social work and community. She was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2008.

After leaving school, she worked as a shorthand typist at probation service. It was this job, where she learned people's stories and had to present them in court, which inspired her to know more about how people's characters were formed.

She went on to gain a PhD in social work.

She was a volunteer at the Citizens' Advice Bureau for 22 years, and was the National President at a time when there were 94 bureaus in the country.

She also supervised social workers seeking their registration. She is a lifetime member of Aotearoa NZ Association of Social Workers, and Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Her honour came as a big surprise, she said.

“I got a letter saying it's going to happen but you're not allowed to tell anybody. It was a very big surprise.”

She was not so surprised when her brother Ian, and Cynthia, received their recognition.

“I can see a pattern. My sister is a missionary leader and Ian is a leader in all kinds of things.”

Mr Kearney, who settled in Nelson, was next to be honoured, with an Order of New Zealand Merit (ONZM) in 2014 for his services to business and community in the South Island city.

He said it was particularly his father's footsteps in which he followed.

“My father was originally an accountant with the Public Trust. He retired early and worked partly for Māori Affairs. He was always involved in assisting people, particularly as an accountant.

“My mother was also always involved in assisting the community. I suppose it was just the tradition in the family.

“You did what you could to support people.”

When he left school Ian went south to Otago University to study for a surveying diploma and later a post-graduate business degree. After university, he went overseas to gain more experience.

On his return to New Zealand, he settled in Nelson where he found his business experience in demand.

“I was approached by committees and groups to assist them in finding financial solutions because of my business experience. I was a mentor for small business groups for 25 years.

“The Mayor of Nelson approached me once to see if I could do anything to support the Nelson School of Music which was a very old institution, 120 years old.

“It had run into very bad financial problems. They had a board of trustees who lacked proper experience.

“So I went in there as chair of the board and reorganised the place and it's been in a good position ever since.”

Gisborne was always home, Mr Kearney said.

“A friend of mine a while ago told me that I still had the Gizzy salute — the raised eyebrows and nod. I loved Gisborne. It was so relaxing. I could just jump on my bike and visit the beach or wharf. Even now when I go back occasionally, I visit the beach.”

He said he believed all the recognition was well-deserved. However, “you did not do this work to gain any honour, you did it because it's natural to do so”.

“Our honours made the family proud.

“I think our parents would have felt terrific about our achievements.”

Sister Cynthia received her Queen Services Medal in the Queen's Birthday honours earlier this month, for services to missionary work and the community in Gisborne.

After she finished school, she went to teacher training college and when she returned, started work at Kaiti School.

“It was my first year teaching and I loved it.

But she realised she wanted to become a missionary and lead a religious life, and determined to join the Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission in Christchurch.

“I was dreading telling my parents that I was going to the convent because my father was not a Catholic and we were very close. I knew he would be really upset.

“When I told him, he did not say anything, he just went very quiet.

“In those days, the convent life was pretty strict, and my dad thought I was giving up the family. That was a big problem,” she said.

“I wasn't that keen on being a nun so kept putting it off but the thought kept coming to me,” Sister Cynthia told The Gisborne Herald after receiving the award.

“Then I decided if the call was from God I better join the convent and I am still here 54 years later. I joined a missionary order so that I could share the gifts I had received with those who were not so fortunate. It was through my love of God and a community of sisters that I decided to make a permanent commitment through vows.”

She trained in Christchurch for three years, and then the convent funded her study for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Auckland.

In 1970 Sister Cynthia went to Samoa to support the establishment of a new secondary school in Savai'i.

There she learned Samoan culture and language.

When she came back, she decided to advance her career as a counsellor.

“When I was in Samoa there were no counsellors. People would come to me for support in that regard and that's when I thought I needed more training, I enjoyed this work. There was a need in the community.”

In Auckland she trained to be a psychotherapist and worked as a counsellor in South Auckland.

She came back to Gisborne after her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

“I looked after her and did part-time counselling work for the Citizens' Advice Bureau.”

When she was told of the award, Sister Cynthia said she thought her parents would be “so chuffed that three of us got such high recognition”.

“My brother's son won an award for volunteering as well.”

“I think the tradition has been passed on through generations, from our dad to us and now on to the next generation.”

Youngest sister Helen Hart volunteers at Tairawhiti Hospice shop, work she took up when she retired.

“I've always believed in passing it forward, and I like helping people,” she said in a Hospice Tairawhiti newsletter.