Friday, 20 January 2012
HARRY Andrews, who was thought to be the Eastern Bay’s oldest resident, has been laid to rest.
The 105-year-old died on Monday at Whakatane’s Golden Pond Rest Home and was buried at the Hillcrest Cemetery yesterday after a service celebrating his life at the Brent Willets chapel in King Street.
At his 104th birthday party in October 2010, the World War II veteran attributed his long life to “having a good mother who looked after me”.
At his 105th birthday last year his grandson Andrew Whyte said his grandfather always took a keen interest in life and this would have contributed to his longevity.
He said he took a great interest in what family members were doing and was a true patriarch.
Mr Andrews was born in 1906 and trained as a carpenter and joiner. He was brought to New Zealand by the Fletcher Building Company in the 1930s to build schools including Taneatua School.
He met and married Jean Moody, and the couple had three daughters together.
Jean died 10 years ago.