Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Woman who died at Kawerau lumber yard 'ruled the roost'

Katee Shanks
By Katee Shanks
Multimedia journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
16 Oct, 2018 02:00 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Piwi King, 39, had a smile that lit up a room. Photo / Supplied

Piwi King, 39, had a smile that lit up a room. Photo / Supplied

"Piwi" King got her nickname from the movie Little Rascals.

According to her whānau, not only did she look a little like one of the characters of the 1994 movie when she was born, she also acted like a little rascal at times.

A celebration of life was held for the Kawerau mother-of-one last week after her death as a result of a workplace incident at Sequal Lumber, in Kawerau, on Friday, October 5.

The death of 39-year-old Melanie Leanne King has been referred to the coroner and WorkSafe was investigating the incident.

King's sister, who told the Rotorua Daily Post she only wanted to be referred to as "Peaches", said her sister brought everyone together in death just as she had in life.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We've had people travel from all over the globe to farewell our sister. Those who couldn't make it have sent their thoughts and prayers," Peaches said.

King went to school in Edgecumbe and later went on to study at Waikato University. But it was her love of sport that saw her make a huge number of friends.

"She played netball, rugby, league, touch, hockey, basketball, squash and golf – some at representative level."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She was also remembered for her huge smile. A smile, family say, that was inherited from her dad.

"She had a smile that lit up a room, it drew you in and always made you feel welcome."

Peaches said King had been working at Sequal for about three years and loved her job.

"From what I understand she was a much loved employee who pretty much ruled the roost."

Discover more

New Zealand

Kawerau comes together to find lost child

27 Sep 07:29 PM
New Zealand

Woman who died in Kawerau sawmill incident named

08 Oct 07:27 PM

Rotorua mourns loss of entertainer Tai Eru

14 Oct 05:00 PM

Family said Sequal had been nothing but "absolutely supportive" since the incident and they did not harbour any ill feeling toward the company.

"We know everyone there has been deeply affected by her death, just as we have been."

She said there was a massive hole where King had once been. "As a family we will all do our best to fill that space, especially with her daughter Keesha who is currently studying
dance at Auckland University.

"We want to thank all our friends and whānau who have wrapped us in love during this journey, we have been overwhelmed by the support.

"It was one of Piwi's close friends who, at her funeral, said it was only Piwi who could have brought us all together again."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

18 Jun 03:00 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Baby-killing Mobster loathed being called 'kid killer' in prison, so he murdered again

18 Jun 12:40 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Just having a breather': Volcanic plume prompts social media buzz

17 Jun 11:45 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

18 Jun 03:00 AM

Mark 'Shark' Hohua was allegedly killed in a 'hot-box' beating for spending gang funds.

Baby-killing Mobster loathed being called 'kid killer' in prison, so he murdered again

Baby-killing Mobster loathed being called 'kid killer' in prison, so he murdered again

18 Jun 12:40 AM
'Just having a breather': Volcanic plume prompts social media buzz

'Just having a breather': Volcanic plume prompts social media buzz

17 Jun 11:45 PM
Silence of the fans:  Chiefs supporters told to leave cowbells at home

Silence of the fans: Chiefs supporters told to leave cowbells at home

17 Jun 11:41 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP