Pat Fouhy QSM and QSJM.
Born January 15 1920 at Marima to Thomas and Charlotte Fouhy, second youngest of eight children, Pat Fouhy has been an iconic figure in the Pahiatua area and was remembered at his passing on July 24 at the age of 97.
His son Joe provided this tribute to this remarkable pioneer:
"After schooling at Marima, Pat went onto the farm but at age 18 he began contracting with an International T20 tracked tractor, ploughing land, removing stumps and forming a partnership with Joe Mahar.
Dad has left behind a huge legacy. The values shown by the way he lived his life and the example he has set will live on in his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren."
This expanded with the purchase of a truck, carrying wool to the Mangamaire Railway Station, logs to the local mill and milk to the local factory.
The company spread wider afield, harvesting wheat, barley and peas in the Wairarapa.
Upon marrying Marie Mahar, Pat went road building and did other contracting work, building Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton and even realigning the Hutt River.
In 1952 he sold his half of the business and bought 100ha at Marima. He was a farmer ahead of his time, using aerial topdressing, clover over-sowing, making silage and building a wintering-over barn long before these ideas were popular.
The farm expanded by 80ha in 1959 and in 1963 Pat, brother John and Merv Withers bought Fernlea, 800ha east of Pahiatua and just like the other properties he set to to develop the property. He developed an aerial top-dressing landing strip which served the whole district.
In 1952 he had started the Glanworth Angus Stud seeking the best genetics. This grew very popular as he was one of the first to performance test the progeny.
In the 1970s he relocated a sawmill from Dannevirke and operated a very successful business until it was sold and relocated to Wanaka in the mid 1990s.
Later Pat developed a hydroponic tomato growing operation, selling locally up to a tonne of tomatoes per season. This ended commercially when Pat was in his early 90s.
His last project at age 93 was the design and building of a cow yard scraper which was entered in the Farm Innovation Awards at Mystery Creek in 2013.
Pat was also a long-serving public servant. He served on many organisations, including about 50 years on the Marima Hall committee, a long period on the Marima Domain board, Chairman and secretary of the Marima School committee.
He served on the St Brides Board of Governors, was president of the Pahiatua A&P Association, and served on the NZ Angus Council. He spent a number of years on the Tararua Electric Power Board as well.
His largest contribution was on the Pahiatua County Council. He was one of the youngest to be elected at the age of 34 and served 36 years on the county, many as deputy chairman and 15 as chairman.
During this time, he was also elected as vice-chair of the NZ Counties Association, chairman of the Manawatu United Council, served on the National Roads Board and was a member of the Manawatu Licensing Committee.
This huge commitment was recognised in the New Year Honours of 1993 with a Queen's Service Medal for Public Service. In 2002, he was awarded the Queen's Service Jubilee Medal.
"Dad has left behind a huge legacy.
"The values shown by the way he lived his life and the example he has set will live on in his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren."