As soon as Eileen and Tony came into mine and my family’s lives, we became family. On my regular phone calls, we shared the highs, lows and milestones of life. Mum recently remanded me, that she and Dad played a role in convincing them to get married. My last phone call with Eileen was not long before she died. She sounded tired, obviously missing Tony but as usual making plans, for the future. Among other things, selling Tony’s enormous stamp collection. Whenever a loved one dies, I always think of Jesus’s words in the gospel of John, “There are many rooms in my Father’s house.” I can imagine Eileen meticulously organising her and Tony’s new room with Tony happily and patiently supporting her. Jesus goes on to say, “…I have gone to prepare a place for you, ….so that where I am you may be too.” Reassuring us that Eileen and Tony are forever reunited and are now with Jesus in his “Fathers House.”

When my sister Dallas was tragically killed by a bull on her farm, her husband Tony needed a partner. He went south and found Eileen, an old school friend, and convinced her to marry him and move north to his farm on Pekerau Rd. She showed considerable bravery in doing this being a city girl and having had little, or no, experience of farm life. She managed to adapt to life on the farm. Maria, my wife, and I would see her each year when we came back to visit Mangonui from the US where I was a Professor of Oceanography. We were impressed to see Eileen in gumboots helping in the milking shed. As she moved the cows out to pasture, she would walk behind calling out “Move along girls”. She adapted to farm life very well. I remember once when she was out riding the four-wheeler with Tony across the hills of the farm in the rain and came into the house exclaiming “well, that is one way to get a facial”. She was a remarkable lady able to take everything in stride. A wonderful partner for Tony.