Rotorua centenarian Ivan Deadman still driving his Mustang

Rotorua 100-year-old Ivan Deadman still loves driving his Mustang. Photo / Megan Wilson

Rotorua’s Ivan Deadman turned 100 this week - and he’s still driving his Mustang convertible.

“When I was 90, I moved in here and I bought myself a Mustang to celebrate,” Deadman told the Rotorua Daily Post at Rotorua’s Cantabria Lifecare and Village.

Deadman celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday with dinner at Skyline Rotorua with 21 whānau.

He said turning 100 felt “no different” but it was a good opportunity to bring his family together from across New Zealand and Australia.

His family also gathered at Cantabria today to keep the celebrations going with morning tea, cake, and a presentation of photos.

His daughter Rosemary Furniss unveiled a painting of him with 100 bubbles for 100 years, which was gifted by family friend Thomas Brown, of Thomas Brown Art Gallery in Arrowtown.

Deadman has two other children, John Deadman and Patricia Kittson, and one 24-year-old grandson, Remy Furniss.

Deadman said he was born in Raetihi, north of Whanganui, but spent most of his life in Rotorua, moving there in 1936.

He became a golf caddie when he was 10, mowed lawns, and “saved all my money”.

“After the war, I became self-employed.”

He started a wrought iron business when he was about 35 and bought and developed industrial land.

He is still a commercial landlord today.

Ivan Deadman celebrated his 100th birthday with his family on Wednesday. Photo / Megan Wilson

Deadman said he was married to Erin Deadman, whom he met on a golf course, for 50 years before she died in 2004.

Furniss said her father was with his “second love”, Joan Whatarau, for 20 years before she died last year.

Deadman said he and Erin travelled “extensively” together.

“We didn’t go to Africa or India, but we went just about everywhere else.”

His favourite countries were Switzerland, China and Japan.

Deadman was made a life member of a walking group he had been part of for more than 27 years.

“We had over 100 members, walked all around Rotorua, we’d go out twice a week doing 12km or 14km.”

He had also been an avid hunter.

“I hunted rabbits when I was a kid and then got onto the pigs and the deer and the ducks and the pheasants.”

The “keen fisherman” also said he had a “14-pound trout hanging on my wall”.

He said he was the North Island golf champion in 1954 - one of his greatest achievements.

“Played golf all my life. Got on scratch. Nine holes-in-one.”

Deadman attributed his longevity to “plenty of exercise”, hunting, golfing, and tramping.

His advice to younger people was “be industrious, work hard, save your money”.

“I’ve had a good life.”

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.