A founder of Coastguard Hawke's Bay, Tony Young, died this week. Photo Supplied
A founder of Coastguard Hawke's Bay, Tony Young, died this week. Photo Supplied
A founder of Coastguard Hawke's Bay and veteran of numerous volunteer search and rescue missions off the Hawke's Bay coast died after falling ill suddenly on Tuesday.
Tony Young, a career builder who established two motels in Napier, helped form the coastguard about 35 years ago, and in more recentyears built its Operations and Education Centre on Meeanee Quay, and the mooring for modern rescue craft Celia Knowles.
A veteran of numerous volunteer search and rescue missions dating back to before the formation of the coastguard, he became patron after the passing of predecessor Capt George Gunn in 2015, but remained on the committee and as a volunteer, including doing boat checks with a paramount interest in the safety of those putting to sea in their own vessels.
With his launch, Super Scheme, he also remained an active member of the Hawke's Bay Sports Fishing Club (formerly Hawke's Bay Game Fishing Club), of which he was made a life member in August last year, having served in many roles, including that of president from 1990-1992.
Two years ago the crew on Super Scheme won the fishing club's biggest competition, the Megafish, and son Dean said the same crew and the boat had been destined for this year's event starting next Friday.
Born in Wellington but going to school in Napier after the family moved to Hawke's Bay, he became a master builder and with wife Janyce was a motel owner and proprietor, having built the Ace High Motor Inn in Kennedy Rd as the dream of a 40-year-old despite the 20-plus per cent interest rates of the 1980s, and then the Palm City Motor Inn in Georges Drive, now run by Dean.
Survived by his wife of 50 years, sons Dean and Lance and daughter Louise, and seven grandchildren, his funeral will be held on Saturday starting at 10am at the Napier Conference Centre (formerly the War Memorial Centre), on Napier's Marine Parade.
