Kerikeri identity Charlie Smellie dies

Charlie Smellie was a stalwart of the Kerikeri Fire Brigade from the mid-1950s to late 80s. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

One of Kerikeri's best-known identities, Charlie Smellie, has died aged 79.

Born in Whakatane, Mr Smellie was just a toddler when his family moved to Kerikeri in the late 1930s. He spent almost his entire life in the Bay of Islands town.

He was the eldest son of grocers Alec and Dorothy Smellie who ran AW Smellie Ltd, a general store stocking everything from flour to petrol. At the time it was one of just five shops in town.

Mr Smellie bought the business from his father in 1966 and, in a first for Kerikeri, introduced self-service. He had a stint in Whangarei to learn more about the trade and in 1981 opened Kerikeri's first supermarket, a New World where Bunnings is now.

He eventually sold the supermarket but kept a number of commercial rental properties. He won kudos for dropping his Kaikohe rents in 2009 when the financial crisis hit, saying "it's better to have three-quarters of a loaf of bread than no loaf at all".

Mr Smellie was a volunteer firefighter more than 30 years, between 1955 and 1987, and reached the rank of station officer. Older residents still recall Mr Smellie and fellow firefighter Greg Imms sprinting up Kerikeri Rd any time the siren went off to get to the station first and win the right to drive the fire engine.

His proudest moment as a firefighter was helping to rescue a pair of fishermen swept off Lion Rock, on Purerua Peninsula, in 1984.

Mr Smellie was also a long-time member of the Lions, a Justice of the Peace, and a two-term local politician.

He liked to help out around around Kerikeri in practical ways and could often be seen weeding traffic islands, digging steps or helping to clean up after vandals.

In later years he campaigned obsessively on a number of issues and at times tried people's patience. His single-mindedness led to a number of trespass orders around town.

Issues that Mr Smellie took up included horse droppings on Kerikeri Rd, his Fire Service gratuity, the removal of a concrete slab river crossing near the Stone Store and the fire station siren.

He died on February 7 in a care home in Kaikohe. He is survived by two siblings, two step-children and a step-granddaughter.

His funeral will be held at St James Church, near the Stone Store, at 11.30am on Saturday.