Dannevirke resident still contributing to the community

Pat Edwards-Sextus surrounded by 30 cardigans she has knitted for Ukraine.

You cannot dim the enthusiasm for community service in Pat Edwards-Sextus, even though she has just turned 94.

Pat was born on May 25, 1930, in Otorohanga.

She says her philosophy in life has been “to do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and adds that the years of community service she has given have satisfied all the beliefs “instilled in me as a child”.

Pat moved with her parents, Rex and Nel Fisher, to Tararua, where Rex managed the Rexdale Dairy Factory farm . She was educated at Mangamaire School.

Her parents later moved to manage the Glengarry Settlement Block and Pat worked in retail in Dannevirke and Palmerston North.

In 1959, Pat married Alwyn Edwards (better known as Snow) and the couple lived in Ransom St. She worked as her husband’s secretary and then as his managing director in Edwards Bros Ltd, which later became Dannevirke Tyre Services.

Pat was already involved in community service, joining the Umutaoroa branch of Rural Women NZ in 1959. She filled most roles in the organisation before serving as president from 1963-1973 and again from 1977-1984. She is still an active Life member. In the same year she joined the Ruaroa Country Women’s Institute, being also very active and only retiring in 2023.

Snow died in 1976 but Pat continued to manage the family business until 1982.

By then she had become a member of the Dannevirke Borough Council, serving nine years. She spent three more years on Dannevirke District Council, serving on numerous committees and finishing up when it became the Tararua District Council.

As part of her role she served 11 years on the Dannevirke High School board of governors as the council representative.

Such was the high esteem in which Pat was held she was made a Justice of the Peace in 1983 and still holds that role.

With what you would imagine a very busy life, Pat still found time to marry Austin Sextus, a Manakau farmer who shared her love of fishing, and they had four happy years in Ransom St until he passed in 1989.

Add to her curriculum vitae these items below and you can see that in “post-marriage retirement”, Pat has had no trouble filling her days - even finding time to knit for Ukraine.

• Foundation member of the Dannevirke Gallery of History and still a member
• Life Member of Tararua Provincial RWNZ (formerly WDFF)
• Vestry Member St John The Baptist Anglican Church
• Past Vice President of Dannevirke Cycling and Dannevirke Netball Clubs
• Past Horticultural Society secretary
• Past Judge of Hawkes Bay A&P Royal Show
• Past Secretary Dannevirke A&P Annual Show
• Life Member Dannevirke Hearing Association Committee

Pat says: “My beliefs have been reinforced by the Rural Woman creed. I have endeavoured to follow those principles in all of my professional undertakings.”

Late last month, a massive container left New Zealand by ship bound for Ukraine under the New Zealand name of Operation Cover-Up. It is the third container in the past two years to make the journey by ship to a port in Europe, where it will be unloaded and packaged up into smaller containers to make the journey to Ukraine under the auspices of Mission Without Borders.

Packed among all the gifts, which range from sewing machines to school books, are many items created by local knitters - including 30 babies and young children’s pure wool cardigans knitted by Pat.

The idea started as Ukraine was entering its winter and there was a desperate need for blankets, clothes, teddies and other warm items.

Locals Margaret Brown and Sharlene Barnett got together with local knitters including Pat and rounded up pure wool raw materials and a production line began.

For Pat, it is just another example of a very busy, skilled and generous lady who has been supporting the community in so many ways.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photojournalist based in Dannevirke. For the past 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.