Orbituary

[j.sabourn]

Just clearing out one of my drawers when came across the following obituary which someone gave me a couple of years ago, although the person mentioned only lived a couple of hundred yards away, I did not know him. Maybe someone on the site may have known him. OBITUARY..Riki Tirikatene... Riki started life on a farm in New Zealand. He was educated in Christ Church and after his 3rd. year of medicine at university he joined the army for overseas service. His parents were the last to know. He had a zest for life and with his razor sharp mind he became a master mariner. The Exon Valdez was one of the many ships he skippered. He moved to pilot work and lastly skippered a fisheries research vessel. In between he became a superb cook and was involved with restaurants. He loved good food, good drink, good cheerful company and had a winsome smile. He took to community work in Golden Bay. He was along with others heavily involved with in establishing the BMX, skate park and oval. He also served as a community board member of the Comet Bay College. For many years he used his exquisite figure to great effect as Father Christmas at the annual fair in December and then on Christmas Day distributing bags of lollies to the children of Golden Bay. Fittingly a service of thanksgiving was held in the Community Centre on the 27th. January. He received a traditional Maori welcome and farewell by a group of Maori singers from Singleton. He will be missed and appreciated by all who knew him. He is survived by Anne. He had no children of his own. JS

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, he was one of the best, how many good people we knew or not pass away, are in someones draw, My next door neighbour house was sold and every part of his garden, paved over and trees he loved were cut down and burned nothing left of a war hero, just some paper clipings. in my draw..