Elizabeth TE HIRA-WILLIAMS Obituary

Rest In Peace Betty.
I will treasure our occasional telephone calls. I loved your openness, sense of wicked humour and your ageless spirit. I only found out to day of your passing. Dee

I am sorry for your loss. I send my love to all the family.

We met Betty in 2001 when we visited Vicky's parents and her Nana.
Vicky told us a lot about Nana and we learned that she was very special for her.
We understand the loss for Vicky and her family.
She will stay in our memory and we both feel honoured to have met her.
Dries and Marianne Kemps, The Netherlands

Our sincere condolences to all the family. Betty was will be remembered as a kind, wonderful lady who will be sadly missed. RIP

Deeply saddened in the loss of such a lovely lady. Will always remember the elegant,beautifully dressy mum you were when I was growing up in Oruawharo Mrs Te Hira.Your lifes work is done, rest easy & peacefully.....To all your whanau god bless.

My darling Nana is an inspirational figure. A strong, fiercely independent, determined woman with a genuinely kind and gentle heart, who gave unlimited and unconditional love to her whanau, who had many friends and was hugely respected in our community. Nana enjoyed a wicked sense of humour and the simple pleasures in life, like fresh bread with heaps of butter and a cup of tea.
What a truly amazing and inspirational woman. I often think of her. We have it easy these days with all the ‘mod cons' to make day to day living a breeze. There were times when Josephine was a baby and I would feel sorry for myself, thinking ‘life is tough and way too demanding'. Then I would snap out of it and remind myself of what Nana endured in the early days of marriage running a household with 5 little kids on their new farm, no huggies disposable nappies, no power, no running water, no washing machine and dryer, no supermarket just around the corner to grab ready-made meals. She was the backbone of our Whanau, our Monarch. And what is amazing, is that when Nana would tell us stories of her life back in her day, she wasn't complaining, she would laugh and joke about the tough times. That's the kind of woman she was. She had a ‘just get on with it' kind of attitude. And this she carried with her until the day she passed. If it weren't for her heart getting weaker, she would still be working 2 cleaning jobs at Waiuku College and the local Bank; she never wanted to be idle and always wanted to be independent. Her attitude to life, inspires me and others every day, in everything we do.
One day, a few years ago, while she was cleaning the Waiuku College gymnasium at 5.30am in the morning, she got herself into a spot of bother; the football goal fell on her while she was cleaning around it and pinned her to the ground. Nana was telling us that she was struggling to get herself free as it was lying on her chest but she couldn't as the ‘bloody thing weighed a tonne' and she said she got the giggles while pinned down, thinking that she would look like a trapped spider, to the person who would find her, with arms and legs kicking this way and that trying to get free. She cracked up laughing as did we, albeit thanking the Lord at the same time that it was not more serious. There were plenty of these hair raising moments – like the time Mum went to visit Nana and found her out the back with a blunt axe trying to chop down an old Lemon tree.
Nana is a very special woman to me, having supported my Mum with raising me from baby to around 6. Man I was spoiled rotten and loved every minute. So many fond memories with Nana, Andrew and Aunty Kath in Wellsford, Waiwera where Nana and Skip had the Trading Post and our time in Waiuku.
Nana – my heart hurts so much not to be able to be near you right now, to give you great big kisses and hugs and say goodbye one last time before we lay you to rest next to Granddad. I respect your wishes and thank you for your practical mindedness. I love you so very much and will carry you in my heart for all time; until we meet again, your beloved Wikitoria XXXX

Dear Nana

Thank you for your life, many were blessed by you. We will see you later in heaven.

Much love
Granada