23
NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, JUNE 2017
TERENCE CHARLES GAVIN (TERRY): 18 DECEMBER 1929– 19 APRIL 2017 OBITUARY
Many of you will have been saddened to learn of the passing of Life Member and former NBA Executive Committee member Terry Gavin. Terry’s family has kindly provided us with this tribute and photo.
Terry’s lack of formal education never slowed him down in his business dealings, and he successfully negotiated many overseas contracts, even in countries where English was not the official language. This was in the days before faxes or emails. It is said he set a record for the longest Telex ever received at the Whangarei Chief Post Office. The work with Whiteline Queens meant long hours and time away from home. In the days before cellphones, Terry kept in touch with home using UHF radios. Those sharing the same channel would hear frequent calls between “Worker 1” (Terry) and “Queen Bee” (Pat). In 1990 Whiteline Queens was closed down. The hours were taking a toll on Terry’s health, although it did allow him more time to focus on Gavins Apiaries and his involvement with the National Beekeepers Association. Involvement in the NBA Terry was always heavily involved in the National Beekeepers Association on a local and national level. He was made a Life Member of the NBA in 1991 for all his involvement with the industry organisations, including several stints on the Executive Committee. His involvement continued for many years, and was instrumental in the development of the New Zealand Government’s American Foulbrood Pest Management Strategy that became law in 1998. Terry became President of the NBA in 1999, and 2000 saw the arrival of the varroa mite in New Zealand. It was an extremely challenging time in the industry with this new pest threatening the country, and also dealing with the various Government departments and ministers. Terry worked tirelessly on a national level, providing many hours of loyalty and dedication for the betterment of the industry. Terry and Pat’s son John, and his wife Cushla, took over the business in 1996. Terry took
For anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting Terry, they will know this is the story of a great storyteller. Terry was born in Titoki, Northland, December 1929, the youngest of three children. He grew up during the Great Depression in the 1930s before power had arrived in the Mangakahia Valley. He left high school after just three months, in April 1942, in the middle of the Second World War to work in the family beekeeping business. Despite his limited school education, his great memory, keen mind and appetite for reading was never to be a disadvantage. Terry married Pat in August 1959, and he built a family home on the property with his parents, his brother and his brother’s family. He always loved having his family close. Terry and Pat had eight children and 17 grandchildren and although Terry was well known to all as an extremely hard worker, his family was always paramount in his daily life. Beekeeping was always his passion Terry took over Gavins Apiaries from his father in 1958 and grew it from a small family business to an international player, albeit on a small scale, selling honey all over New Zealand and the world; pioneering the sale of raw comb honey to the UK, Switzerland and Japan. In 1977 Terry began helping Frank White with the running of his queen breeding business as Frank had become ill. Terry stepped into this seven-day-a-week business without hesitation to help out a friend. He eventually bought the business from Frank and named it Whiteline Queens in Frank’s honour. Terry grew this business and in its heyday he was exporting Italian queen bees to countries around the world including Iran, UK and Canada (it was early days for exporting bees).
great pride that grandson Liam is now the fourth generation of beekeepers working in the family business. He believed he left the business knowing it was in good hands. In mid-2001, Terry semi-retired. I don’t believe he ever truly retired from the business, as he always continued to keep a close eye on what was happening—still visiting the shed for morning teas and the occasional trip out to the bees. The staff always had a huge respect for Terry and the endless source of information he was willing to share. Morning teatime was often accompanied by a teaching session or a story from Terry. Terry was also very proud of the fact he was able to give back to the local community: he employed many people from the Mangakahia area and beyond. Pat and Terry often hosted people from around the world, with Terry passing on his wealth of beekeeping knowledge. At the age of 87, life finally caught up with Terry. He reached the end of a very full and productive life. He has left behind a proud family and his wife, Pat. We believe he was a great man who will be loved and missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs