Post by NZBC on Apr 1, 2014 19:51:35 GMT 12
In Memory Of
Sadie Wai Fon Leong
15/12/1917 - 27/02/2014
Leong, Sadie Wai Fon (nee Kwok) - Passed away peacefully on 27 February, 2014 at Village at the Park, Wellington.
Beloved wife of the late Percy Leong. Loved mother and mother in law of Tony and Violet, Kevin and Winnie, Denis and Anna. Grandmother of Philippa and Andrew, Gary and Linda, Deborah and Jason; Brenda and Graham, Michele and Jason, Rachel and Lloyd; Asha, Krishan, Manel and Samuel. Great grandmother of Benjamin, Ryan, Joshua, Isabella, Zachary and Oliver; Wyatt, Casey, Jacob, Mia and Evan; Chloe.
Special thanks to the hospital staff at Village at the Park and Dr. Tim Ngankee for their wonderful care of Sadie over the last 10 years. Reunited with Percy after 26 years.
Messages for the Leong Family may be sent c/o PO Box 14-366 Kilbirnie, Wellington or left in Sadie's tribute book below.
At Sadie's request, a private family service was held at the thingyburn Street Chapel, Kilbirnie, Wellington on Friday 7 March, 2014 followed by a private burial.
Harbour City Funeral Home
Lower Hutt - Upper Hutt - Wellington
Members of Funeral Directors Association of NZ www.tributes.co.nz/ViewMyTribute.aspx?id=9685
Rosemary Chanel
12/03/2014
To Tony & Violet, Kevin & Winnie, Denis & Anna & families
Your dear Mum made an impact in my life when I was very young as an extremely charismatic lady - so full of life, sophistication, fun and style. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. My sincere condolences.
Your cousin
Rosemary Chanel
Brenda Young
11/03/2014
I will always remember:
- having lots of cuddles in the big arm chairs at Puketiro Ave. You could fit Grandma and one big grandchild or Grandma and two little grandchildren in one arm chair.
- beauty therapy sessions in the bathroom, with twin basins and a huge mirror... just like the real thing! Having your nails painted and your hair done. She would ask about your friends and how you were getting on in life.
- us kids pumping the dusty peddles of the pianola and singing "with a nap sack on my back" with her.
- teaching us how to play billiards.
- teaching us how to play mah jong.
- Grandmas favourites of fish and chips and roast duck. Once a week before my basketball game I would ring up and ask her what her dinner order was. It was always fish and chips or roast duck on rice.
- ice cream and chocolate were favourites too.
- Grandma had great eye sight. When out on a drive she could see a sign that read fish and chips or ice cream a mile away.
- and grandma was always ready for a cup of tea.
In the last four weeks or so Grandma had been planning a party. Very busily organising who was going to bring cake, who was going to bring fruit and more importantly what you were going to bring.
Once that most important item was taken care of the next thing on the agenda was where to have the party. After much discussion it some how or other it always ended up my place. Another thing ticked off the list.
Next was who was coming to the party. "You and you and you and will you bring that little boy (pointing at Wyatt)?". And "We should invite that man" pointing to the guy sitting three chairs down, she would be roaring with laughter, just at the thought of this person coming... probably because he was fast asleep.
Grandma, all the planning is complete and you can now sit back, relax and enjoy; knowing what a wonderful job you have done with this and everything else you turned your hand to. You have set a great example not only for us, but for our children as well.
You will be greatly missed.
We love you Grandma.
Kevin Leong
10/03/2014
Reproduced from Kevin’s speech at his mothers funeral.
When preparing this speech I tried to find a theme that would categorise Mum.
“First to”, “Overachiever”, “pioneer”, “visionary”, “sporting”, “Leader”, “mother”, “elder” but I gave up, as she was all these things and more. Mum was not a person to be pigeon holed.
First and foremost she was my “Mum” who sailed the rough and smooth seas of life with me for the last 68 years. She bought me a guitar and I spent 10 years in a screaming pop group. She bought me a macarno set and took credit that I spent over 40 years in the computer industry. She bought me my first car for my 21st and I have been a “motorhead” ever since. She made me go to a wedding by myself, which resulted in me going out with Winnie. She taught me that “nothing was impossible” and I spent, as a Project Director, for many multi-nationals both here and internationally, running multiple complex million dollar projects with hundreds of personnel. She has positively influenced every aspect of my life and I am as proud of her, as she was of me and I will miss her terribly.
She has guided and encouraged me to “do my own thing” in life, there was no pressure to be one thing or another, rather, she lead by example and love, treating everybody equally and fairly.
We all know the family sayings:
Honour your parents, love your brothers and sisters
Don’t care if you are rubbish man or a Doctor, long as you are the best rubbish man or Doctor.
If you are going to do something, do it properly or not at all.
Treat everybody, as you would like them to treat you.
You never learn things when you are successful, you only learn, when things go wrong.
If Mum said it would be done, then you could guarantee it was done.
These are just some of the principles that Mum lived her life and passed on to me.
Mum was the First Chinese women to be elected onto the NZ Chinese Association.
Mum was the first Chinese women to be elected president of the NZ Women’s Business and Professional Club.
Mum is the last link we have with China being the last of the Kwok’s to be born there.
She along with my Por and Helda had to pay the infamous “Poll tax” that has only recently had an apology from the NZ government. She used to have Helda’s and her original poll tax document for a 100 pounds which she showed me. A 100 pounds was a years salary in those days.
I wonder how many of you here today, at the age of 8, could go to a foreign country, not speak the language, live in a totally different culture, and survive. Not an easy task, but that’s what Mum did. She went to Mount Cook school, as most the Kwok girls did, Wellington Technical College and Gilby’s Secretarial College. Mum specialized in working for law firms where she was highly respected and valued. She was secretary to Bill Gazley for majority of her working life and completely run the office. It was well known you that you couldn't get through to Gazley without going through Mum.
She was especially proud of her grand children and was delighted when they came to see her and she took an active interest in their careers. Brenda often came to see her during lunch times, taking her favourite “fish & chips”. I remember her last public outing was Brenda’s wedding. She also looked forward to the weekly visits of her great grandchildren and held out her hand in expectation of the marshmallows they would give her, referring often to Wyatt, as “the boy” in conversations.
Mum expected only the very best from you, and took great pride in anything the “family” and “extend family” achieved. When you thought you had done well enough to get some “kudos” from her, she would raise her expectation another notch, Mum knew about “excellence” long before it became a popular norm. This approach allowed me to push boundaries and make the “impossible” possible. She was a person that changed people’s lives.
Mum was a thoroughly modern woman. Most 1st generation Chinese woman could hardly speak English, never venturing outside their families and playing Mah Jong with their friends. Once I asked her, when confused about some old Chinese custom, she said, “You’re in New Zealand now, take the best of both worlds, and throw away the worst”. A thoroughly modern women.
My Mum knew some very interesting and unusual people, people you wouldn't expect her to know. One such person we came to know as “Grand Crutty” (Mrs Cruttington) she read tea leaves at the bottom of your cup and told you your horoscope. She also sent Tony and I expensive birthday presents every year until we were teenagers.
Mum’s number one passion, of course, was the “family”, her arms encompassed us all. Rest in peace Mum, go join Dad and the rest of the family up there, a little piece of yourself will live in the hearts of us all.
The Maori’s have a saying – A big Kauri has fallen, to me, a whole forest has gone.
Winnie Leong
10/03/2014
Looking back at the old photo albums it reminded me of all the great times we had together especially in the very early days of my marriage to Kevin.
We, Sadie & Percy, Kevin & I had some wonderful memories of the trips we took together to Auckland and Hamilton for family weddings, where they would proudly introduce me to the relations as there were many more I hadn’t met until then, despite us having such a large wedding not all were able to come.
During our stay at the Auckland and Hamilton weddings we were treated like royalty such was Sadie and Percy’s prestige and held in such high regard with genuine love and affection. I’m happy to say we were invited back home and were fed so well, we had to diet for weeks later.
When our girls were born Sadie could not have been more proud, she would show them off to her friends as they were “oohing and aahing” our beautiful babies, saying how much they looked like her. Our girls are indeed fortunate to have had a Por Por who was so ahead of her times, modern in thinking and set the standard that “girls can do anything”.
I am honoured to be able to say a big “thank you” to Sadie for bringing up such strong boys with principles and integrity. She also instilled and ingrained in them the strong family values you see here today.
It is with great sadness I say “goodbye Mum”, I will always remember you in my heart and miss you.
Martin Kwok
10/03/2014
My memories of my Aunty Sadie are initially tied to her beloved Percy as well.
Like all the Kwok Aunties and Uncles, the unions struck up by our trail blazing elders have always been strong and durable partnerships.
As the youngest cousin in the Wellington Kwok family, Sadie and Percy were already a bit older by the time I came along. I think I had a healthy sense of fear, mixed with respect for her rules and outlook. I can recall the strong sense of order and formality which Sadie would impress upon me, and with her seniority in the family standings, it was one I was always sure to pay close attention to. Bottom line, I didn't want to put a foot wrong in Aunty Sadie's eyes.
I remember how Sadie and Percy would welcome my family back to NZ on our holidays back from HK, opening their home and letting us stay with them. These were special times for me. Catching up with all the family and enjoying the NZ quality of life that HK didn't allow for. The billiard room downstairs at Sadie's Northland home provided countless hours of joy for me, my brother and our cousins and their children.
In more recent years, after becoming a parent myself and making more sense of the family structure as a whole, my respect and admiration for Sadie and what she did for the family has grown more and more. It is clear to me now how Aunty Sadie was the sister who helped to really set the pace and standard for her kiwi born siblings. She embraced change which is easier said than done.. especially in those days. She was the first to work hard at getting an education, a career, sports and socialising with Chinese as well as other cultures and did so with enormous amounts of grace, beauty, intelligence and dignity.
The fact that she arrived in NZ from mainland China as a young girl and had the determination and disposition to tackle the language (so well spoken) as well as the vastly different society and culture is what made Sadie who she was. She excelled in these aspects of her life and was indeed an inspiration and guide for the Kwok's who followed.
A modern woman ahead of her time, she will be remembered with great fondness and for the indelible mark she has left on our families.
Thank you Sadie, for being the quiet pioneer you were, and will remain in our hearts.
Nigel and Lisa Dong
9/03/2014
Dear Tony, Violet and Family
We were saddened to hear of your loss
Our deepest sympathies go out to you all at this difficult time
Please take care of one another
Kindest regards
Nigel, Lisa, Joshua and Jasmine Dong
Christine Ryan
9/03/2014
Hello Mr & Mrs Leong, Pip, Gary, Deborah & families,
We are sorry to hear you have lost a dear Mum, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. Our thoughts are with you all during this difficult time. Thinking of you.
Love Christine (nee Chandler), Steve, Michaela, Liam & Nathan xoxox
Cheryl Wong Rogers Wong Rogers
9/03/2014
Sadie's extraordinary achievements as a pioneering chinese female, a
business person and a career woman will be well remembered in the
family, the community and indeed in New Zealand history.
But what we will most remember, is the Sadie who put all her daring, her
determination and her discipline to work as an outstandingly inspiring
sister, sister-in-law, auntie and great-aunt.
Mona remembers how Sadie would lie in bed, picking the most difficult
words out of the dictionary and rehearsing her siblings through them
over and over again, expanding their vocabulary and refining their accents.
The family feasts she and Percy hosted were absolutely legendary. Philip
always went home saying 'wow, there was even enough food for the boys to
have seconds, thirds and fourths!' And almost half a century later, no
bribe is too big to extract those unrivalled recipes from Denis's cookbook.
Before decor become de rigueur, she really showed us a thing or two
about home interiors with her flocked wall paper, smart sofas, carpeted
bathrooms, wrought iron sun room furniture. And we all remember 'that'
telephone at Onepu Rd and 'the' bidet at the Puketiro Palace. She
always lived in a showhome but it was never made too precious for all
the toys and all the boys.
Her sense of style was as unsurpassed as her culinary skills. And for
Cheryl, the many, many long and incredibly cosy afternoons spent in the
kitchen with Sadie, turned out in hindsight, to be gentle little
lectures in Sadie's favourite subject - 'Behind every successful
business, there is a chinese woman.' In other words, high achieving
career mentoring thinly disguised as harmless cooking lessons.
Even when she was at Village at the Park, her resilience and goodwill
flowed on to another generation as her irrepressible spirit shone
through to win David, Aimee-Paulette and Paul over.
There is so very, very much to admire about Sadie but the inexhaustable
life lessons, the pain of pioneering, the unflinching role modelling,
the absolute insistence on excellence. That, was all saved for her
family. That was how Sadie loved us. She wanted to see us all
flourish in this white world that wasn't quite ours yet and she wasn't
afraid to be the barrier breaker to get us there.
We will always, always, always be thankful to her. May she now enjoy
eternal peace.
Mary Hall
8/03/2014
Sadie and Percy were longtime friends of my late parents, Jan and Pat Grennell. Mum used to work with Sadie before WWII and they kept in touch. After Mum retired they met up with Sadie and Percy at Indoor Bowls at the Northland Community Hall.
Sadie Wai Fon Leong
15/12/1917 - 27/02/2014
Leong, Sadie Wai Fon (nee Kwok) - Passed away peacefully on 27 February, 2014 at Village at the Park, Wellington.
Beloved wife of the late Percy Leong. Loved mother and mother in law of Tony and Violet, Kevin and Winnie, Denis and Anna. Grandmother of Philippa and Andrew, Gary and Linda, Deborah and Jason; Brenda and Graham, Michele and Jason, Rachel and Lloyd; Asha, Krishan, Manel and Samuel. Great grandmother of Benjamin, Ryan, Joshua, Isabella, Zachary and Oliver; Wyatt, Casey, Jacob, Mia and Evan; Chloe.
Special thanks to the hospital staff at Village at the Park and Dr. Tim Ngankee for their wonderful care of Sadie over the last 10 years. Reunited with Percy after 26 years.
Messages for the Leong Family may be sent c/o PO Box 14-366 Kilbirnie, Wellington or left in Sadie's tribute book below.
At Sadie's request, a private family service was held at the thingyburn Street Chapel, Kilbirnie, Wellington on Friday 7 March, 2014 followed by a private burial.
Harbour City Funeral Home
Lower Hutt - Upper Hutt - Wellington
Members of Funeral Directors Association of NZ www.tributes.co.nz/ViewMyTribute.aspx?id=9685
Rosemary Chanel
12/03/2014
To Tony & Violet, Kevin & Winnie, Denis & Anna & families
Your dear Mum made an impact in my life when I was very young as an extremely charismatic lady - so full of life, sophistication, fun and style. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. My sincere condolences.
Your cousin
Rosemary Chanel
Brenda Young
11/03/2014
I will always remember:
- having lots of cuddles in the big arm chairs at Puketiro Ave. You could fit Grandma and one big grandchild or Grandma and two little grandchildren in one arm chair.
- beauty therapy sessions in the bathroom, with twin basins and a huge mirror... just like the real thing! Having your nails painted and your hair done. She would ask about your friends and how you were getting on in life.
- us kids pumping the dusty peddles of the pianola and singing "with a nap sack on my back" with her.
- teaching us how to play billiards.
- teaching us how to play mah jong.
- Grandmas favourites of fish and chips and roast duck. Once a week before my basketball game I would ring up and ask her what her dinner order was. It was always fish and chips or roast duck on rice.
- ice cream and chocolate were favourites too.
- Grandma had great eye sight. When out on a drive she could see a sign that read fish and chips or ice cream a mile away.
- and grandma was always ready for a cup of tea.
In the last four weeks or so Grandma had been planning a party. Very busily organising who was going to bring cake, who was going to bring fruit and more importantly what you were going to bring.
Once that most important item was taken care of the next thing on the agenda was where to have the party. After much discussion it some how or other it always ended up my place. Another thing ticked off the list.
Next was who was coming to the party. "You and you and you and will you bring that little boy (pointing at Wyatt)?". And "We should invite that man" pointing to the guy sitting three chairs down, she would be roaring with laughter, just at the thought of this person coming... probably because he was fast asleep.
Grandma, all the planning is complete and you can now sit back, relax and enjoy; knowing what a wonderful job you have done with this and everything else you turned your hand to. You have set a great example not only for us, but for our children as well.
You will be greatly missed.
We love you Grandma.
Kevin Leong
10/03/2014
Reproduced from Kevin’s speech at his mothers funeral.
When preparing this speech I tried to find a theme that would categorise Mum.
“First to”, “Overachiever”, “pioneer”, “visionary”, “sporting”, “Leader”, “mother”, “elder” but I gave up, as she was all these things and more. Mum was not a person to be pigeon holed.
First and foremost she was my “Mum” who sailed the rough and smooth seas of life with me for the last 68 years. She bought me a guitar and I spent 10 years in a screaming pop group. She bought me a macarno set and took credit that I spent over 40 years in the computer industry. She bought me my first car for my 21st and I have been a “motorhead” ever since. She made me go to a wedding by myself, which resulted in me going out with Winnie. She taught me that “nothing was impossible” and I spent, as a Project Director, for many multi-nationals both here and internationally, running multiple complex million dollar projects with hundreds of personnel. She has positively influenced every aspect of my life and I am as proud of her, as she was of me and I will miss her terribly.
She has guided and encouraged me to “do my own thing” in life, there was no pressure to be one thing or another, rather, she lead by example and love, treating everybody equally and fairly.
We all know the family sayings:
Honour your parents, love your brothers and sisters
Don’t care if you are rubbish man or a Doctor, long as you are the best rubbish man or Doctor.
If you are going to do something, do it properly or not at all.
Treat everybody, as you would like them to treat you.
You never learn things when you are successful, you only learn, when things go wrong.
If Mum said it would be done, then you could guarantee it was done.
These are just some of the principles that Mum lived her life and passed on to me.
Mum was the First Chinese women to be elected onto the NZ Chinese Association.
Mum was the first Chinese women to be elected president of the NZ Women’s Business and Professional Club.
Mum is the last link we have with China being the last of the Kwok’s to be born there.
She along with my Por and Helda had to pay the infamous “Poll tax” that has only recently had an apology from the NZ government. She used to have Helda’s and her original poll tax document for a 100 pounds which she showed me. A 100 pounds was a years salary in those days.
I wonder how many of you here today, at the age of 8, could go to a foreign country, not speak the language, live in a totally different culture, and survive. Not an easy task, but that’s what Mum did. She went to Mount Cook school, as most the Kwok girls did, Wellington Technical College and Gilby’s Secretarial College. Mum specialized in working for law firms where she was highly respected and valued. She was secretary to Bill Gazley for majority of her working life and completely run the office. It was well known you that you couldn't get through to Gazley without going through Mum.
She was especially proud of her grand children and was delighted when they came to see her and she took an active interest in their careers. Brenda often came to see her during lunch times, taking her favourite “fish & chips”. I remember her last public outing was Brenda’s wedding. She also looked forward to the weekly visits of her great grandchildren and held out her hand in expectation of the marshmallows they would give her, referring often to Wyatt, as “the boy” in conversations.
Mum expected only the very best from you, and took great pride in anything the “family” and “extend family” achieved. When you thought you had done well enough to get some “kudos” from her, she would raise her expectation another notch, Mum knew about “excellence” long before it became a popular norm. This approach allowed me to push boundaries and make the “impossible” possible. She was a person that changed people’s lives.
Mum was a thoroughly modern woman. Most 1st generation Chinese woman could hardly speak English, never venturing outside their families and playing Mah Jong with their friends. Once I asked her, when confused about some old Chinese custom, she said, “You’re in New Zealand now, take the best of both worlds, and throw away the worst”. A thoroughly modern women.
My Mum knew some very interesting and unusual people, people you wouldn't expect her to know. One such person we came to know as “Grand Crutty” (Mrs Cruttington) she read tea leaves at the bottom of your cup and told you your horoscope. She also sent Tony and I expensive birthday presents every year until we were teenagers.
Mum’s number one passion, of course, was the “family”, her arms encompassed us all. Rest in peace Mum, go join Dad and the rest of the family up there, a little piece of yourself will live in the hearts of us all.
The Maori’s have a saying – A big Kauri has fallen, to me, a whole forest has gone.
Winnie Leong
10/03/2014
Looking back at the old photo albums it reminded me of all the great times we had together especially in the very early days of my marriage to Kevin.
We, Sadie & Percy, Kevin & I had some wonderful memories of the trips we took together to Auckland and Hamilton for family weddings, where they would proudly introduce me to the relations as there were many more I hadn’t met until then, despite us having such a large wedding not all were able to come.
During our stay at the Auckland and Hamilton weddings we were treated like royalty such was Sadie and Percy’s prestige and held in such high regard with genuine love and affection. I’m happy to say we were invited back home and were fed so well, we had to diet for weeks later.
When our girls were born Sadie could not have been more proud, she would show them off to her friends as they were “oohing and aahing” our beautiful babies, saying how much they looked like her. Our girls are indeed fortunate to have had a Por Por who was so ahead of her times, modern in thinking and set the standard that “girls can do anything”.
I am honoured to be able to say a big “thank you” to Sadie for bringing up such strong boys with principles and integrity. She also instilled and ingrained in them the strong family values you see here today.
It is with great sadness I say “goodbye Mum”, I will always remember you in my heart and miss you.
Martin Kwok
10/03/2014
My memories of my Aunty Sadie are initially tied to her beloved Percy as well.
Like all the Kwok Aunties and Uncles, the unions struck up by our trail blazing elders have always been strong and durable partnerships.
As the youngest cousin in the Wellington Kwok family, Sadie and Percy were already a bit older by the time I came along. I think I had a healthy sense of fear, mixed with respect for her rules and outlook. I can recall the strong sense of order and formality which Sadie would impress upon me, and with her seniority in the family standings, it was one I was always sure to pay close attention to. Bottom line, I didn't want to put a foot wrong in Aunty Sadie's eyes.
I remember how Sadie and Percy would welcome my family back to NZ on our holidays back from HK, opening their home and letting us stay with them. These were special times for me. Catching up with all the family and enjoying the NZ quality of life that HK didn't allow for. The billiard room downstairs at Sadie's Northland home provided countless hours of joy for me, my brother and our cousins and their children.
In more recent years, after becoming a parent myself and making more sense of the family structure as a whole, my respect and admiration for Sadie and what she did for the family has grown more and more. It is clear to me now how Aunty Sadie was the sister who helped to really set the pace and standard for her kiwi born siblings. She embraced change which is easier said than done.. especially in those days. She was the first to work hard at getting an education, a career, sports and socialising with Chinese as well as other cultures and did so with enormous amounts of grace, beauty, intelligence and dignity.
The fact that she arrived in NZ from mainland China as a young girl and had the determination and disposition to tackle the language (so well spoken) as well as the vastly different society and culture is what made Sadie who she was. She excelled in these aspects of her life and was indeed an inspiration and guide for the Kwok's who followed.
A modern woman ahead of her time, she will be remembered with great fondness and for the indelible mark she has left on our families.
Thank you Sadie, for being the quiet pioneer you were, and will remain in our hearts.
Nigel and Lisa Dong
9/03/2014
Dear Tony, Violet and Family
We were saddened to hear of your loss
Our deepest sympathies go out to you all at this difficult time
Please take care of one another
Kindest regards
Nigel, Lisa, Joshua and Jasmine Dong
Christine Ryan
9/03/2014
Hello Mr & Mrs Leong, Pip, Gary, Deborah & families,
We are sorry to hear you have lost a dear Mum, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. Our thoughts are with you all during this difficult time. Thinking of you.
Love Christine (nee Chandler), Steve, Michaela, Liam & Nathan xoxox
Cheryl Wong Rogers Wong Rogers
9/03/2014
Sadie's extraordinary achievements as a pioneering chinese female, a
business person and a career woman will be well remembered in the
family, the community and indeed in New Zealand history.
But what we will most remember, is the Sadie who put all her daring, her
determination and her discipline to work as an outstandingly inspiring
sister, sister-in-law, auntie and great-aunt.
Mona remembers how Sadie would lie in bed, picking the most difficult
words out of the dictionary and rehearsing her siblings through them
over and over again, expanding their vocabulary and refining their accents.
The family feasts she and Percy hosted were absolutely legendary. Philip
always went home saying 'wow, there was even enough food for the boys to
have seconds, thirds and fourths!' And almost half a century later, no
bribe is too big to extract those unrivalled recipes from Denis's cookbook.
Before decor become de rigueur, she really showed us a thing or two
about home interiors with her flocked wall paper, smart sofas, carpeted
bathrooms, wrought iron sun room furniture. And we all remember 'that'
telephone at Onepu Rd and 'the' bidet at the Puketiro Palace. She
always lived in a showhome but it was never made too precious for all
the toys and all the boys.
Her sense of style was as unsurpassed as her culinary skills. And for
Cheryl, the many, many long and incredibly cosy afternoons spent in the
kitchen with Sadie, turned out in hindsight, to be gentle little
lectures in Sadie's favourite subject - 'Behind every successful
business, there is a chinese woman.' In other words, high achieving
career mentoring thinly disguised as harmless cooking lessons.
Even when she was at Village at the Park, her resilience and goodwill
flowed on to another generation as her irrepressible spirit shone
through to win David, Aimee-Paulette and Paul over.
There is so very, very much to admire about Sadie but the inexhaustable
life lessons, the pain of pioneering, the unflinching role modelling,
the absolute insistence on excellence. That, was all saved for her
family. That was how Sadie loved us. She wanted to see us all
flourish in this white world that wasn't quite ours yet and she wasn't
afraid to be the barrier breaker to get us there.
We will always, always, always be thankful to her. May she now enjoy
eternal peace.
Mary Hall
8/03/2014
Sadie and Percy were longtime friends of my late parents, Jan and Pat Grennell. Mum used to work with Sadie before WWII and they kept in touch. After Mum retired they met up with Sadie and Percy at Indoor Bowls at the Northland Community Hall.