This is Geoff. Born 80 years ago in New Zealand on 3-Apr-1931. He met and married Ngarie (below) when he was 23 and she was 18. She has cute stories of their early years together living in a cottage with Geoff riding her around on his bicycle since they didn't have a car. 
Geoff found success providing his young wife everything she needed and had a long, fruitful career in the building industry as an engineer/draftsman. He built their beautiful large 2 story family home, from scratch on his own completing it some 50 years ago. 
Married for 57 years (a huge accomplishment these days!), they raised 3 happy children in their happy home together born in the 1960's with first born Michele, middle child Debra and youngest son Shane. Geoff retired in 1981, had two hip replacement surgeries after he couldn't walk any more. After decades of smoking, he finally quit. He saw his two daughters have their own children, 4 granddaughters, but go through divorces and remarry. He saw his son go off to America and return 8 years later with a wife of his own. In his mid life, he enjoyed a bit of fishing while he was still mobile and healthy. The family always had pets with many cats and several dogs. In retirement, he did the expert crossword puzzles daily and stayed active tending to home improvements and planting expert vegetable gardens every summer wtih perfect tomatoes.
Geoff found success providing his young wife everything she needed and had a long, fruitful career in the building industry as an engineer/draftsman. He built their beautiful large 2 story family home, from scratch on his own completing it some 50 years ago. Married for 57 years (a huge accomplishment these days!), they raised 3 happy children in their happy home together born in the 1960's with first born Michele, middle child Debra and youngest son Shane. Geoff retired in 1981, had two hip replacement surgeries after he couldn't walk any more. After decades of smoking, he finally quit. He saw his two daughters have their own children, 4 granddaughters, but go through divorces and remarry. He saw his son go off to America and return 8 years later with a wife of his own. In his mid life, he enjoyed a bit of fishing while he was still mobile and healthy. The family always had pets with many cats and several dogs. In retirement, he did the expert crossword puzzles daily and stayed active tending to home improvements and planting expert vegetable gardens every summer wtih perfect tomatoes.A strong father figure and generous, kind, loving family man, Geoff passed away this week due after battling pneumonia and lung infections for the last 4 months since Christmas 2010.
Here is one of the last pictures I have of Geoff on his 80th birthday 3-Apr-2011 with his 3 children. In the hospital the last two weeks of life, he died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family. He will be laid to rest 2 plots away from some family members in a beautiful Auckland area cemetary full of flowering gardens and mature Eucalyptus, Conifer and Palm trees. We love you Geoff and will remember a life well lived.
Sorry to hear that Saucy.
ReplyDeleteOur condolences to yourself, your husband and in-laws.
Garry, Alison & Family
thanks Garry :)
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