The NCWNZ Hutt Valley Branch mourns the loss of Patricia "Paddy" Rosaleen Byrne (3 September 1943 – 24 April 2024). Paddy was a Catholic Women’s League delegate to the Hutt Valley Branch from 1997 until she became an individual member in 2017. Paddy served on the Branch Executive as Treasurer from 2011-2015 and was a member of the Parliamentary Watch Committee 2009-2016. She also volunteered in the National Office, e.g., for the mail out of The Circular.

Jean Fuller
6 September 1934 – 5 March 2024

Born in Auckland, Jean grew up on a farm in Tuakau. Attending Auckland University, Jean graduated with an MA in English then taught at Hamilton Girl’s High School. With her husband Geoff, Jean settled in Karori where they had two boys. Once they had grown up, Jean returned to the workforce. Jean embraced computer technology at a time when most people didn’t want to know how to use them, learning computer programming in her early 50s and worked as a database/computer management assistant at the US Information Service from 1988-1999. She always shared her technical ability and knowledge with others, supporting her husband in the writing of legal texts and maintaining the online access to them.

Jean held a number of roles with the NZ Federation of Graduate Women, including National Secretary, Wellington newsletter editor, and supporting academic dress. She joined Parliamentary Watch Committee (PWC) in 2004, convening it from 2010-2014. In this role she provided training to NCWNZ’s Standing Committee Conveners and Board Members. Jean documented processes in a user-friendly manner, to ensure everyone understood everything. Her notes are still used today. Jean was superb at managing the interface between NCWNZ and Parliament, ensuring high quality submissions were presented on behalf of women.

Dunedin branch members were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death on 23 November 2023 of a valued and loved branch member, Anne Rodger. Just days before, she had been MC at the 100th birthday celebrations of the Dunedin Women’s Branch of the Labour Party, after returning from a South Seas cruise with daughter Gillian. She had been ill, but this was unexpected.

The citation for a well-deserved MNZM in the New Year’s Honours List of 2019 stated:

"Anne Rodger had been a member of the National Council of Women since 1983 and served as both Secretary and President of the Dunedin Branch. She was instrumental in establishing the NCW’s Alexandra’s Branch.

"She represented the Dunedin Branch on the Dunedin Forum for Non-Violence for three years, facilitated the 1993 forum ‘Towards a Non-Violent Society’ and was a member of the NGO Coordinating Committee for the Beijing World Conference on Women from 1992 to 1996.

"At Catholic Social Services in Dunedin she established a ‘Birth Support Group’ for very young parents and co-facilitated a post-natal programme for women raising infants alone. She initiated a group to address issues for grandparents responsible for the upbringing of their grandchildren, which is now a nationwide service run by Presbyterian Support services.

"Anne had held numerous voluntary executive and committee roles including with the Dunedin Childcare Association, Dunedin Māori Women’s Welfare League, Otago Co-ordination Committee for the Disabled, the Young Women’s Christian Association, the Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity, the Help Sexual Abuse Foundation, the Mosgiel University of the Third Age, the Dunedin University Club, SeniorNet Otago, and Abbeyfield (Residences for the Elderly) Dunedin which she helped establish."

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you that Elizabeth Jane Prichard MA, CNZM, QSO, died on 2 December 2023. I knew Jane from the 1980s, and when I came back from Qatar in 2012 Jane asked me to join her in Pacific Women's Watch New Zealand (PWW-NZ). She gave me the role of PWW-NZ representative to the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) Auckland branch, and she also made sure I went to New York to the United Nations (UN) meetings. It has been my honour and privilege to work with Jane for the last ten years and previously. Jane was a woman of vision and ambition. Her ambition was for all women and especially that the most marginalised could live fulfilled and safe lives.

Jane’s vision grows out of her early involvement with the Federation of University Women (now Graduate Women) at the time when the UN Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was being discussed around the world. Jane saw CEDAW as a key treaty and was part of discussion and education groups through the 1980 and 90s.

Photo of Audrey Jarvis submitted by Anne McCarthy with the permission of the Jarvis family.

The Manawatu Branch of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) mourns the death on 22 January 2024 of a loved and valued long-term member, Audrey Jarvis. 

In 2004, Audrey became the Methodist Church’s delegate to the Manawatu Branch NCWNZ which she, like all of us, referred to as NCW.

She was soon elected to the Branch executive, then to the vice presidency and in 2009 she was elected Branch President. She served in that role for the maximum time of four years.

One of the actions that Audrey was most proud of took place in 2009. Cotton On, the clothing firm, had started selling tee shirts for children with slogans that were inappropriate for them. Led by Audrey, Branch members sat outside Cotton On, cutting up some of the offending tee shirts, all the while explaining to the passers by what they were doing, why they were doing it and encouraging them to boycott the store. Subsequently, Cotton On stopped selling the tee shirts.

In 2016 Audrey was awarded a Distinguished Service Award by NCW New Zealand. Her nomination mentions that, more than once, she represented the Branch on the panels for Palmerston North City Council Civic Awards and TrustPower Community awards. She also represented the Branch at meetings about Pharmac funding and about alcohol legislation.

The nomination also refers to the Branch activities Audrey was involved in. As well as the Cotton On campaign, these included making submissions to both the MidCentral and Whanganui District Health Boards on maternity services. She also presented copies of Megan Hutching's Leading the Way – How New Zealand Women Won the Vote to five local secondary schools with female pupils. The books had been donated by NCW Manawatu.

NCWNZ Nelson Branch mourns the loss of their Life Member Queenie Ballance who died on 16^th April 2023. She was well known and respected by many in NCWNZ.

Queenie joined NCW Auckland in 1985, representing Federation of University Women. She was the convenor of the NCWNZ Environment Standing Committee from 1992-1998 and, through her leadership, the members of NCWNZ became much more educated and proactive about conservation and environment issues.  She served on the Auckland Branch Executive and was Branch President 1998-2000.

The Dunedin Branch notes with sadness the passing of our Life Member, Patricia "Pat" Mark QSO JP, earlier this month. Patricia, Lady Mark née Davie died on 7 February 2023 at 91 years of age. Pat was a member of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) from 1967-2007 and was made a Life Member of NCWNZ Dunedin in 2007. She was also a Justice of the Peace and was awarded a Queen’s Service Order (QSO) for services to the community in 2000.

Her many friends in our branch feel the loss of such an energetic, sincere and dear friend. This photo at right, courtesy of Correen Rodger, was taken in 2005 when Pat received a Long Service award from the Branch. 

She worked hard for our organisation and we do appreciate her input which we honoured with a Life Membership in 2007. She served NCW as a delegate from Graduate Women Otago from 1979 to 2007. She worked hard on many activities and always led by example.

Heather Marion Smith’s life was dedicated to economic as well as political sovereignty through decades of submissions both oral and written to councils, select committees, public fora and newspapers. She served as convenor of the Economics Standing Committee for National Council of Women of New Zealand for two terms, delivering well researched information on issues relating to her brief.

A member of the Whanganui NCWNZ Branch, she attended many Whanganui District Council meetings and regularly presented submissions through the Council’s Annual Plan process. Heather raised many issues and challenged the thinking at branch meetings.  It was rewarding for the Branch during the period Heather was the Convenor of the Economic Standing Committee.  

Pamela Cherrington Sutton (1926-2022) at Nelson NCWNZ 60th birthday celebration. Image courtesy of Mary Gavin.

It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of Pamela "Pam" Cherrington Sutton JP QSM . Born 25 August 1926, she passed away on 1 April 2022 at the Wood Rest Home. Her funeral was held at Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson, on Saturday, 9 April 2022.

Pam had joined the Nelson NCWNZ branch as a delegate from the New Zealand Association of Anglican Women (AAW) in the late 1960’s and served in many capacities for the Nelson NCW Branch for thirty years, including as Branch President 1974-76.