Obituary: Gladys Goldfinch

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 617, 19 December 1995, Page 6

Obituary: Gladys Goldfinch

Gladys May Goldfinch, QSM, JP, died at Tologa

Bay on 11 December. Sh when she peacefully pass

other family and friends brother's funeral.

Miss Goldfinch was Ohakune on 15 May 1918

"Gladys is loyalty person I have the greatest respeci her after working with her

many years , is now tne u Godfrey Harvey, Waimarii

lawyer and 40-year associa of Miss Goldfincl described her when she wt awarded the Queens Servic Medal in the New Year Honours listin January 19$

At that time Mr Harvey s much of Miss Goldfinc work in the community \

unheralded. The Goldfinch family Ruapehu district traces

back to the tum of th Miss Goldfinch' s parents, Kathleen, settled in Ohak

Miss Goldfinch was rai in the Waimarino, attendin

and the Ohakune District 1 studies extramurally througn wellington s viciona University. Her association with the community includes a term with the Ohakune Borough Council and as a member of the Catholic Church Parish, Deanery and Diocesan councils. She was an acti ve member of the district' s New Zealand National Party campaign branch for many years and was also a delegate to the Waimarino electorate and divisional committees. The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jim Bolger, said Miss Goldfinch had been a remarkable woman and a great identity in the Ohakune region. ^ "During her life she contributed much to the community, and this was recognised when she was awarded the Queen' s Service Medal in 1994," he said last week. "Her death, which will leave a vacuum in Ohakune, has

deeply saddened Joan and myself, and we send our

it family and friends. She

f missed by all who knew

g her many other

ltions to the community was

oness of the Raetihi Tennis

, and time spent on such

imittees as the Waimarino

d Ohakune squash Clubs, Waimarino RSA, Rangitikei ixeman's Association, Ruapehu Indoor Bowls Association, Market Gardeners Association, Turoa Tumblers, Ohakune Hotel Charity and Sports "oundation, and St John's mglican Church.

As a Justice of the Peace

:r greatest and saddest

ponsibility was as acting

ner at the site of the T angi wai

:er in 1953. In a tent, for

ays, she had the gruesome issuing certificates of

n for the victims. Among the t children and the distressing

bereaved parents was hers

ivnss uuiuiiiivn was a ^uartered Accountant for 59 years, still practicing from her office in Ohakune until the time of her death. She was a member of the New Zealand Practicing Accountants Association and the New Zealand Society of Accountants. In. 1966 she took on the challenge of launching an agency of Wanganui Savings Bank in Ohakune and for 12 years ran a thriving branch. Miss Goldfinch also ran night classes in shorthand and typing at Ruapehu College for some years. At the time that she was awarded the QSM, her contribution to the community was such that many of Miss Goldfinch' s Waimarino colleagues said she deserved a higher honour. However, a friend said at the time that Miss Goldfinch was "delighted" with the recognition bestowed upon her.