Obituary: Rotorua engineer Mark Elers senior was always eager to chip in

Mark Elers with his best mate and wife, Margaret Elers, on their wedding day. Photo / Supplied

Whenever a job needed doing or someone needed help, Mark Elers snr was the first to put his hand up.

That appetite for hard work and willingness to help others saw him achieve much in his lifetime, including starting his own business, Marchon Engineering and being named a life member of both the Whakarewarewa Rugby Club and the Rotorua Rugby sub-union.

Elers, who was born in Manawatu on February 18, 1943, died unexpectedly on May 29, aged 77, but lives on in the memory of all those he influenced in the Rotorua community.

On Tuesday, the family held a small funeral service at Osbornes, adhering to the social gathering restrictions in place. A memorial service will be organised for the wider community to pay their respects when larger gatherings are allowed.

Elers' son and namesake, Mark Elers jnr, said what struck him when speaking to people at Tuesday's service was the way his father had maintained his values from a very young age.

"Everyone I talked to, no matter what age they knew him at, said the same things about his work ethic and how he always wanted to help others.

"His values were based on hard work and having a good work ethic, which everyone loved and admired."

Elers senior moved to Tokoroa for work in 1970 before meeting his wife, Margaret, and moving to Rotorua eight years later.

An engineer and boilermaker by trade, he worked for several companies before building his own, Marchon Engineering, in 1989. When he retired in 2011, Elers junior took the reins.

"I don't know if that was ever the plan. He never saw it as a business, he saw it as a vehicle to do things and that's pretty much what it still is now. It's a vehicle for me to provide for my family, to put a roof over our heads.

Throughout his life, Mark Elers senior built a reputation as a man who got jobs done. Photo / Supplied

"I think that's why he went into business at the time, to provide not just for himself but for others and their families. He was always thinking about others."

He said his mum and dad were supportive of his and his siblings' sporting endeavours. Always happy to leave the coaching to the coaches, they would find other ways to help their children's' teams and the sporting organisations such as fundraising and holding administrative positions.

"They used to travel around the country with us, watching basketball games, which was a really cool thing for us to do with our parents. Whatever we did, they encouraged. Sport played a huge part in our lives and mum and dad were always there supporting us.

Mark Elers senior died unexpectedly at the age of 77. Photo / Supplied

"Dad had a love affair with people. He'd sponsor local sports teams and organisations with his business. He helped them with their passions, even if it wasn't his own passion. His passion was others. If he could help, he would.

"I'm honoured and privileged to carry my dad's name. What's happened in this last week, we knew what he did for everyone, but to go back and relive it, to have all the love and support from the community who really loved dad, that makes me proud."

Chipping in at Whakarewarewa Rugby Club

When Mark Elers jnr and his brother, Don Elers, wanted to play junior rugby as children, in the early 1980s, their dad took them to Whakarewarewa Rugby Club.

After a couple of years, the boys decided basketball was the sport for them and their father went with them, helping on the administration side and managing teams.

However, Don returned to Whakarewarewa Rugby Club to play for a couple of years in the early 2000s, and his father helped out where he could. He was quickly ushered on to the committee. In 2005 he was named president of the club, a position he held for nine years, before being made a life member.

Also joining the club in 2005 was Bay of Plenty Rugby Union and Whakarewarewa Rugby Club statistician and historian Brent Drabble.

Mark Elers senior was respected among those who knew him as a man eager to help others. Photo / Supplied

He said he had fond memories of working with Elers, the type of man the club needed to get them back on their feet after a tough few years.

"Mark never took a position because he wanted the title, he was always there to get a job done. He would focus on that job and once it was complete he would move on. He was a great man.

"He did a wonderful job, he had the Whakarewarewa Club running like clockwork. Things can go wrong when you get lots of different people involved but he did regular stocktakes and made sure everything was above board and in order.

"He and Margaret were a great team. Mark always had a serious look, he seldom smiled, but he wasn't grumpy, just focused on getting the job done. He had so much respect from the sporting community and he deserved everything he got," Drabble said.

A man passionate about local sport, Elers' contributions to sport in the Bay of Plenty included Whakarewarewa club delegate and executive member of the Central Bay of Plenty Rugby sub-union, Whakarewarewa club delegate and executive member of the Rotorua Rugby sub-union and a director for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

Mark Elers' willingness to focus and work hard saw him forge a successful career as an engineer. Photo / Supplied

The Engineer's Crowning Achievement

At the funeral service on Tuesday, Elers' nephew, Craig Hodge, was nominated to share a final word about his uncle and used his career as an engineer as a metaphor for the way he lived his life.

"Uncle Mark, the engineer. The engineer will see the end product before the blueprints are actioned. In their heads, they will in detail note what is integral to the outcome. There will be no room for shortcuts, no margin for error.

"When you cut the tape and look back at your creation, if you can say you were methodical and stuck to the plan, you can enjoy your creation, knowing it will stand the test of time. You will never forget if you knew of a flaw in the process. Your work is your fingerprint, a reflection of you.

"Uncle, it is clear to see you have engineered something special. Your family is a reflection of your quality workmanship. You can now step back and rest, knowing your creation will stand the test of time. With Aunty Margaret, you set a solid foundation based on hard work and integrity.

"For us here today, it is clear to see there were no flaws in your work. Be proud of all you have left behind for the rest of us to admire, knowing you stamped your signature on your greatest creation; your family."

Elers is survived by his wife, Margaret, children Mark, Don and Lania, and eight grandchildren.