Obituary: Graham Andrews, real Kiwi bloke

Long time Daily Post columnist, keen sportsman and fisherman, Graham Andrews, has died after suffering a heart attack.

Mr Andrews died on Saturday surrounded by family and friends at Rotorua Hospital. He was 70.

Described as a "real Kiwi bloke", Mr Andrews wrote The Daily Post Saltwater Scene fishing column and also contributed to the paper in earlier years writing rugby reports.

He spent more than 20 years writing for The Daily Post while serving his employers, Kilwell Sports, in Rotorua for almost 30 years.

His stepdaughter Lee Andrews-Ellery said her father had been suffering from bone cancer for some time and had an operation to repair a damaged hip late last month.

"The operation went well, but it was his heart that gave in at the end," she said.

"Although he'd been very sick with cancer his death was sudden."

Mrs Andrews-Ellery said rugby and fishing were her father's passions, and in earlier years he was often seen fishing the Waiteti Stream that bordered his Ngongotaha home.

"He was an amazing man ... when he married mum, he inherited us kids too.

"But for us he was our dad, and he was the most amazing grandfather as well.

"As far as we were concerned he was our dad, and we were his kids."

She said she remembered him getting down on his hands and knees to pretend he was a grizzly bear for his grand children, as he always had facial hair of some description.

"My daughter called him ticky-tick, because of his beard."

She said he loved fishing of all kinds and would try and never miss an All Black match.

Mr Andrews is survived by his wife Jean, and stepchildren Lee Andrews-Ellery, John Gallen and their children.

His funeral will be held at the Rotorua Crematorium Chapel from 1pm on Wednesday.