OBITUARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 254, 7 August 1937, Page 6

OBITUARY.

MR J. J. PATTERSON. REPUTED WORLD’S LARGEST DAIRY FARMER. (Per Press Association.) HAWEUA, This Day. Mr J. J. Patterson, of Manaia, reputed to be the largest dairy farmer in the world, is dead, aged 79. He employed over 30 sharemilkers in Taranaki and Waikato and was owner of over 3000 cows. Ho was cattle-droving in South Taranaki at the age of 12, later becoming apprenticed to a blacksmith. He carried on that trade at .Manaia for many years, with dairyfarming as a side line. His dairying interests grew to such proportions that lie had to devote his full time to their supervision. Mr Patterson took no part in public life, but on account of his dairying activities he was well known throughout the North Island. MRS DAVID MCKEE. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Mrs Sarah Jane McKee, of Fendalton, widow* of the Rev. David McKee, is dead, aged 95. Mr McKee, with his w’ife and eight children, arrived in Lyttelton from Dublin in 1880, and was the first minister of Knox Church, Bealey Avenue. He had come to New Zealand with the hope of benefiting his health, but he died some months after his arrival. Mrs McKee was born in Rathfirland, County Doiyn, Ireland, and was married at the age of 22. After her husband’s death she lived at “Hawthomden,” on the borders of Upper Fendalton, where she established a Sunday school and to her is due the credit of starting the first mothers’ meeting in Christchurch. Later she opened a boarding school for girls at “Inveresk,” and afterwards conducted Avonside College, where her daughters and Miss Jessie Mackay, the well-known New’ Zealand writer, were members of her teaching staff. She took an active part in women’s movements in the city, especially in the temperance movement, but in recent years she lived in retirement in Fendalton. Mrs McKee is survived by six daughters, Mrs Hugh Hunter (Riccarton), Mrs J. Dickson (Clifton), Mrs J. J. Brownlee (England), Misses E. McKee, S. McKee, and J. A. McKee (.Christchurch). Miss E. McKee was for many years a resident of Ashburton. Drs. Stewart Hunter, D. McK. Dickson, J. J. Brownlee, and J. H. Brownlee, are grandsons. Mrs G. I. Miller (Ashburton) is a grand-daughter.