New Year Honours: Joan Howse honoured for contribution to community and women

Joan Howse is getting a Queen's Service Medal for services to women and the community. Photo / John Stone

Joan Howse kept more than a few secrets in her time as a marriage celebrant.

None more so than the time she married her grand-daughter in a backyard barbecue ceremony the rest of the family had no idea was coming.

So it comes as no surprise it was easy to keep the secret she was receiving a Queen's Service Medal for services to women and the community in the New Year Honours.

Word did get out somehow though, as she had a whispered congratulations in the lead-up to the announcement. Mrs Howse said she was very humbled. "It was a complete surprise."

She said she never took on her numerous volunteer roles to get anything out of it. It's not her first brush with the honours system though.

"I have written many letters for other people to support their nominations."

Mrs Howse was a member of the Whangarei branch of the National Council of Women for more than 40 years, serving as treasurer for six and president for four.

She was a convener of the National Standing Committee for Justice and Law Reform, which reviewed submissions from branches around the country to forward on to government departments for consideration.

Mrs Howse has held various positions with Rural Women New Zealand. As a member of the associated Country Women she attended six world conferences.

The Kamo resident was a member of the Whangarei Health Camp Board for 28 years and served half that as the chairwoman and was awarded life membership of the national association in 2003.

She was also founding member of the Northland Medical Foundation, spent 38 years as a Justice of the Peace, and, in 28 years as a marriage celebrant, married close to 900 couples.

She has had a lifetime association with the church and in 1993 was awarded the NZ Suffrage Centennial Medal.

The one-off things in her life had been so memorable, like the time Thailand's Queen Sirikit came to NZ and the Council of Women was involved in welcoming her. "I was the lucky person who gave her the flowers."

She said looking back she had achieved a lot.

"The weeks were busy and so were the weekends, weddings on Saturday and church on Sunday."