Cultural issues within Fire and Emergency NZ have been addressed and the Government has announced its plan for replacement ferries to begin service in 2029. Video / NZ Herald
Respected Canterbury farmer Chris Allen died on Monday after he was electrocuted while fixing a garage door.
His wife, Anne-Marie, spoke to the Herald about how they met, and the legacy he’s left behind.
Mid-Canterbury farmer Chris Allen is remembered by many as a nationally acclaimed agriculturalist and a voice for nature – but his wife Anne-Marie simply remembers him as a “loving husband and a dedicated father”.
Online tributes have described his extensive contributions to the agriculture industry, and his “great legacy”.
But to Anne-Marie and his family, Allen was a “family man and a people person” above all else.
He was a “loving husband and a dedicated father” to their two children, Natalie and Jonathan.
“He was just a joker ... people wouldn’t know whether to believe what he was saying sometimes but his goal was always to make people smile,” Anne-Marie told the Herald.
The pair met in Christchurch more than 30 years ago. Both from farming families originally, it wasn’t long before they had a farm of their own, Anne-Marie revealed.
“After we met, he was quite determined we needed some land!” she said.
The Allen family, (from left to right) Chris, Anne-Marie, Natalie and Jonathan. Photo / Supplied
The family spent summers camping by the river or holidaying in Mt Maunganui, all the while Allen spent his spare time giving back to the community, Anne-Marie said.
“Chris was always heavily involved in local schools and committees ... because of his various roles including Federated Farmers and Air New Zealand, he had a lot of contacts,” she said.
An engineer originally, Allen recently attended the 70-year anniversary of the engineering base at Air New Zealand in Christchurch.
Anne-Marie described how Allen grew up with a passion for animals, farming and rivers.
When the 2021 Mid Canterbury floods hit, they both set out to help the community – despite the fact their own farm was inundated with water.
“The community needed help ... and he had the contacts to get the job done,” she said.
Anne-Marie explained how no matter the situation, Allen “always said yes”.
“He was solution-based, he never did it with confrontation – it was always about working with people to get the best outcome he could,” she said.
Overall, Anne-Marie said “he loved his family and he loved his friends”.
“Allen knew every single flight attendant by name, that’s just the kind of lovely man he was ... so if you ended up sitting next to Chris, I guarantee he would’ve chatted to you,” he said.
