Noel Richardson

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 676, 4 March 1997, Page 6

Noel Richardson

Noel Frederick Richardson died suddenly in Palmerston North Hospital on Tuesday 28 January after a short illness at the age of 64. He leaves behind hi s wife Lyn, daughter Michelle and sons Tony ('Red') and Stephen and grandchildren Felicia, Hayley and Jamiee. For the past 1 9 years Noel and his family made their home in the Pukekaha Valley and realised his dream when he bought a run-do wn 800-acre farm which he turned into a producti ve unit through sheer hard work. Noel was born in Stratford in 1933 the eldest of six children. Because of a serious illness of his mother, Noel left school at 15 to help his father milking cows on their

farm as well as taking on casual farm work. One of Noel's ambitions was to take up flying and he spent many hours in a Tiger Moth. He did his compulsory military training at Waiouru, where he spent most of his time in the hospital after breaking his foot. At about this time he met his fu ture wife Lyn and Noel's flying career took second place. Over the years Noel progressed from farm worker to farm manager and, eventually, he leased the property on which they were living for the next 10 years. He came to the Waimarino 19 years ago and was immediately welcomed by the local farming

community and it wasn't long before he became involved with them in many aspects of life in the valley. An active sportsman, Noel loved fishing (the Maunganui a Te Ao runs through his Pukekaha property) and duck shooting ... the opening of the duck season on 1 May had a special significance for him as it was also his birthday. He also enjoyed ballroom dancing and other local social activities and would often be seen at various working bees in the valley. Two years ago Noel, together with other farmers in the Maunganui a Te Ao catchment, made a representation to the Ruapehu District Council to have them rescind a proposal to increase council' s author-

ity over a widened Queen' s Chain which he felt would have created problems in such a narrow valley. He was a member of the Ohakune branch of the NZ Returned Services Association and, at the time Of his death, was vice-president. Together with Lyn it was his constant wish to provide a secure future for their children and, over the past three years, his greatest joy was becoming a grandfather to his three granddaughters.