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EULOGY FOR GEORGE GAIR, PATRON OF THE BNZBA, ON FRIDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2015 This is an edited version of the eulogy delivered at George’s funeral as delivered by Celebrant Barrie Mason JP George Frederick Gair was born in Dunedin on 13 October 1926, the eldest of 3 sons of teacher Frederick and Raymer Gair. His brothers are Frank and Roger, the last of whom died in a car accident in 1976. The family lived in the suburb of Belleknowes from where George began his schooling at High Street Primary School. So that George’s father Fred could get promoted in the education profession the family moved to Kaitaia where he could do his country service, but the family relocated again to Wellington in September 1939 on the day WW11 was declared. George was 13 when he began at Wellington College. At the opening assembly the headmaster told the boys that they were young men destined to be future leaders. This made a huge impression on George and set him on his journey into politics. Circumstances associated with the war saw George finish his secondary education at Wairarapa College and in 1944 he began an Arts degree at Victoria University. The following year he transferred to Auckland University from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. As a student George did part-time reporting for the then Auckland Star newspaper. These journalistic skills proved valuable when as a 19 year old he was a member of the second wave of J Force troops that served in Japan as part of the Allied Occupation Force. George was the security and information service reporter for the Services Newspaper, and it was while there that he also sat some of his final stage 3 university papers. Back in Auckland after Japan, George met fashion designer Fay Evley at a New Year’s Eve Dance at Leigh. A friendship developed and, soon after, George proposed to Fay at a dance in a Queen Street Ballroom. George and Fay married (in George’s words “for love”) on 31 January 1951 at St Francis Anglican Church in Titirangi. After which they built their family of three children: WARWICK – a master builder; LINDA - an art teacher, and JOANNE – a worldwide acclaimed make-up artist who lives in New York. Soon after coming back from his J Force duties, George received a scholarship that saw him spend 3 years in Melbourne at the Sun News Pictorial – a Murdoch newspaper. Back in Auckland he worked for the NZ Herald and then moved to manage the Auckland City Public Relations Office for 5 years. He followed this with time at TEAL and while there was part of the team that recommended to management that the name be changed to Air New Zealand. This happened in 1965 when the government took over the airline. He also became involved in the organisational wing of the National Party and briefly served on the staff of Keith Holyoake. In 1966 George successfully contested the National Party nomination for the North Shore electorate and entered parliament that year. George served as North Shore’s MP for 6 terms from 1966 to 1990 when he retired from Parliament, after which he was soon appointed NZ’s High Commissioner in London. He filled this position with distinction from 1991 to 1994 during which time he also made a lot of new friends. In his 24 years in Parliament George came to be regarded as a competent and diligent minister holding some of the most challenging portfolios including health, social welfare, energy, housing and transport and when Jim Bolger became leader, George was elected deputy leader of the party. Over the years George’s liberal views and polite manner often saw him at odds with his political colleagues, most notably around the abortion and homosexual debates. After both episodes and ever the diplomat, he often spoke of his desire for reconciliation. Back home in 1995 and still living in the family home just up from Takapuna Beach it would sometimes take him half a day to walk along this mile long beach as he encountered numerous constituents. George couldn’t resist the chance to stand for the mayoralty of the then North Shore City Council. He was successful and served from 1995 to 1998 as the City’s 3rd mayor. George always had a strong sense of duty to the North Shore. The mayoralty was to be George’s last high profile public office although he still continued for a while as chairman of the New Zealand Ambulance Board in Wellington as well as being patron of numerous organisations including the North Shore Libraries Foundation with which he was actively involved for over 20 years. George’s public service was recognised in 1988 when he was made a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order – QSO. Then in the 1994 Queen’s Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George – CMG. In retirement both George and his devoted wife Fay enjoyed much travel, including a visit to the UK which included the Shetland Isles from where his great grandfather came, as well as to northern Europe and an Antarctic Cruise. George was also active as Patron of The British New Zealand Business Association and in local U3A groups, where he followed his passion for history and politics, as well as being a member of the Milford Probus Club. George’s greatest personal achievement in recent years was the effort and dedication he applied to writing a major thesis entitled “Managing Change as a Minister of the Crown”. This saw him capped in 2010, when he was 83, with a Master of Philosophy degree from the Auckland University of Technology. This was a very proud moment for George & his family. Throughout his whole life his family were important to George. As a cabinet minister he refrained from moving his family to Wellington preferring to commute each week. For George and Fay this ensured the children grew up in a familiar environment and as well it let George attend to constituents at weekends and he never forgot those who put him into office. Over the last few years George had to contend with some major health issues requiring several periods in hospital. This included stays in North Shore Hospital which he lobbied hard to have upgraded to a full tertiary hospital in 1984. It is interesting to note in passing that George was the first elective surgical patient in that hospital. Last April as he aged and his body weakened he was confined to bed finally dying on 17th August with his loving family around him. At his funeral many spoke of their memories of a considerate and compassionate man with a strong sense of values and morals who was honest and diplomatic, with an inquiring mind who continually looked for answers and solutions. George was a gentle man and a gentleman of absolute integrity, who has served his community and his country with grace and humility. As one commentator has said “he played the issues, not the people” George was blessed to have shared 64 years with a totally supportive and devoted wife. Fay and George were true soul mates; he loved Fay dearly and they were also blessed to have a very supportive family. In concluding his eulogy, the celebrant Barrie Mason related a few words that George said to him just a few weeks ago which say much about George the person and the special man that he was. “The sad part of this stage of my life is that I can’t say at the end of each day that I have contributed something” George: Your life we honour and your memory we cherish .
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