Ted Roberts, of Nelson, was a member of CAFCA from 1999 until his death in 2009, aged 83. He always included a donation with his sub. As with so many of our members, we knew nothing about him and never had any direct contact with him. We are grateful to his son, Glenn Roberts, who wrote this obituary. Ed.

My father, Ted Roberts, was born in Nelson in 1926. He attended Tahunanui Primary School and then Nelson College where he made the 1 st X1 cricket team. After his college years, he joined his father in the jewellery/optical business in Nelson. Once he had passed his optical exams, he took over the business and concentrated solely on optometry. My mother Val, Ted’s wife, became his receptionist from the late 60’s until 1983 when my wife Kris took over those duties. It was a real family business.

Dad finally retired in 1988, giving him more time for golf, tennis, and fishing. He was a man who loved the outdoors and gave my sister Paula and I our love of tramping and being in the mountains. He also had the foresight to purchase a section at Elaine Bay in the Marlborough Sounds when they first became available in 1955, and slowly built a bach over the following years. We still own that typical fibrolite Kiwi bach, and the fifth generation of our family are now enjoying it. Dad was very active on other committees in Nelson as well as the Crippled Children’s Society committee. He was a life member of the Lawn Tennis Association, the Basketball Association, and the Nelson Veterans Tennis Club. He always felt privileged to have a healthy family and a great life, and was always prepared to give something back to the community. He has been greatly missed since his passing and leaves a sister, a wife, two children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren to remember him.

My father was a long time member of the Social Credit Party and later the Democrats. He hated the idea of debt for monetary gain and was against NZ selling our banks to the Aussies. I can remember Dad receiving the Soviet Weekly each week while I was a kid growing up. I am sure some people in Nelson thought he was a Communist. He had the same views on the Government selling our land and assets to foreign monopolies. I did not know he belonged to CAFCA but I am not surprised. If more people had his view on life, the world would not be ruled by so much greed.

DEATH IN THE FAMILY

CAFCA expresses our condolences to Noeline Gannaway for the death of her husband, John Gannaway, who died in Wellington in May 2009, aged 82. Noeline is a long time and generous member who has also been a very generous supporter of the CAFCA/ABC Organiser Account, which provides Murray Horton’s income. Throughout all those years she was looking after a seriously ill husband. This is her tribute to him. Ed.

His early life was affected by his mother’s post-natal breakdown, and from infancy John was raised by his grandmother in the family home at 23 McDonald Crescent. John attended Wellesley College on the Terrace and at Day’s Bay. He enjoyed art and chemistry, and gained a prize for writing and drawing. Peter Harcourt’s history of Wellesley College recalls an incident from 1935: “The prizes were to be presented that year by Canon James. At the appointed time he embarked on the discourse expected of the Distinguished Guest in such a situation. Unfortunately, he took no account of his audience’s limited patience. As he meandered on, with no end in sight, it all became too much for little John Gannaway, sitting down in front. ‘It’s too long, sir!’ he cried out fervently, giving voice to the general opinion. While the parents laughed in relief and sympathy, blessing the innocence which allowed a child to speak while they could not, Canon James acknowledged his fault and sat down”.

With an interest in wireless, John had hoped for work in this field, but it was wartime and choices were limited. His first job was with Kodak in Victoria Street where his wage was meagre, but he gained a knowledge of photography, and the boss of his department was to become a firm friend. Next came radio work with the firm HW Clark in Cable Street and later with HMV in Wakefield Street, where he helped make experimental recordings of church and secondary school choirs, the Salvation Army Band and the Embassy Theatre organ. Then for some years he had his own business, servicing record changers.

Music of all kinds - from classical to jazz - was an abiding interest. He made friends with members of the (then) National Orchestra and. for a time served on the committee of the Wellington Recorded Music Society, looking after the equipment. Collecting and researching 78 rpm records was an absorbing hobby. He enjoyed cricket at the Basin Reserve in summer. John was not by any means a pacifist, but he believed in fair play, sympathised with the underdog and was scrupulously honest. He had a wry sense of humour. John always voted Labour and, while I moved to New Labour, the Alliance, and finally the Greens, he remained staunch.

The advent of the motorway meant the demolition of number 23 and adjoining houses in McDonald Crescent and in 1969 John moved to Wright Street. We married in 1972. Health challenges had to be faced as John had been diagnosed with osteoporosis and ankylosing spondylitis (o steoporosis is a disease of bone that leads to an increased risk of fracture. Ankylosing spondylitis is inflammatory arthritis of the spine. It causes pain and stiffness in the back, along with bent posture. In most cases, the disease is characterised by acute painful episodes and remissions. Ed.). He was deeply disappointed when failing health prevented him from attending orchestral concerts, but there was a large collection of 78s, LPs, tapes and later CDs to draw on, and the Concert Programme was well patronised. He may or may not have heard his favourite Brahms’ Fourth Symphony being played the evening he died. In any case, he knew the work by heart.