George Gallop is holding a book launch next month.
Taking his grandchild's advice has led to one Taranaki grandad publishing a book.
George Gallop says his grandson Jordan Dunn not only told him to start writing a book, but also helped with the typing of the manuscript.
"I would spend a lot of time in the bush teaching him how to hunt. I would tell him stories about my life and one day he said 'you need to write a book, other people need to hear these stories'."
Jordan would type up the book on a computer while George would speak.
"I started the book when Jordan was in high school. When he went to university my wife Jocelyn took over writing as she had retired from teaching."
The book, titled 'A life worth living (and it's not over yet)' has been five years in the making and covers all sorts of moments in George's life, from protecting the region from bovine TB, working in pest management and many years of volunteer work. It also talks about his younger years, growing up in a lighthouse.
"My father Colin was a soldier in World War II. He came back from the war and married my mother, Dot. He got a job as a lighthouse keeper in the Bay of Islands. As he was promoted we travelled. He ended up as a principal lighthouse keeper on Stephens Island in the South Island."
He says living in the lighthouses was a "unique" experience.
"It's a fascinating place to live. The fishing was unbelievable. There would be pāua under every rock. We had no electricity, we ran everything off kerosene."
At 8 George was sent to a Catholic boarding school in Wellington, but he would still go home during the main holidays.
When George was 14 his family moved to Inglewood as they had family connections in the area.
"I met Jocelyn at the Inglewood Rugby Club dance when I was 15. We got married in 1970. At 18, I volunteered to go to Vietnam to fight in the war but I failed the medical. I then completed a welders apprenticeship for two years."
George then worked as a shepherd on a sheep and beef farm in Makahu.
"I then did some work in the bush for Fletchers Contracting. I spent every free minute playing rugby. Over the years I played for Strathmore, Toko and Stratford."
He became the pest destruction officer for the Whangamomona board, commonly known as the rabbit board.
"My role was to control all feral obnoxious animals. We were the only autonomous board. As the other eight were run by the county-councils. Then all nine boards joined together and employed one person to supervise all the boards. I applied for the position and became the youngest on a pest destruction board at the age of 24. When I went to my first national conference I remember thinking they were all my father's age, I couldn't believe it."
In 1989 the board was disestablished and the Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) was formed.
"I became manager of pest management for TRC. The role evolved into the protection of indigenous biodiversity and agricultural production."
He says he managed to keep bovine TB out of Taranaki for 50 years.
"I would eradicate any stock with the disease. If any animal had the disease my job was to eradicate any pest within the radius that was appropriate. I also managed the first large scale 1080 operations in Taranaki."
George retired seven years ago after 31 years of service. He has spent 40 years volunteering for search and rescue and 32 years as a volunteer firefighter for Toko Brigade. He has also spent time as a firearms instructor.
"I've done a lot of volunteering. I enjoy helping people."
Nowadays George spends his time on his sheep and beef farm in Toko, doing maintenance at Toko School, and helping people with cutting down trees, training dogs for duck hunting and helping farmers with their sick cattle.
Despite such a wide range of work and volunteer roles over the years, writing a book was not something he had imagined doing.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen."
George is holding a book launch at Toko Junction Tavern on October 10 at 7pm. Books will be available to purchase for $40 cash.