My Account
Heather Metcalfe
9 December 1942 – 1 October 2020
When it came to caring for her community, Heather Metcalfe left no stone unturned. No matter what club or organisation she joined, she willingly stepped forward to help where she could whether it be as chair, secretary, newsletter editor or car cleaner. Her husband of 30 years, David Metcalfe, described her as tremendously loyal and utterly intolerant of unfairness. Others described Heather as someone who did her homework and crossed her T’s and dotted her I’s. “She was always the sort of person who would muck in and help when there was a job to be done. She would just roll up her sleeves and get on with it,” David said.
Heather was born in Auckland but grew up in Kawerau, where her father was a security officer at the Tasman Paper Mill. She joined the NZ Air Force when she was 17, rising to the rank of corporal. During her time in the service, she worked as a librarian at the Wigram, Ohakea and Whenuapai air bases. She had two children, Wayne and Rochelle, to her first husband. Sadly, her son Wayne died in an aircraft accident in Europe two years ago.
Heather met David, an engine fitter, while still in the air force. They moved to Warkworth 25 years ago, where they ran the Warkworth Hire Centre, in Woodcocks Road, for 12 years. During this time, Heather played an active role in the business association. Former Not Just Hats owner Rae Ward worked with Heather during this time and remembered her as someone who worked well with council and made sure things were done properly. “We organised numerous promotions and Warkworth prospered,” Rae said. “We had a policy of welcoming new business people to the town and farewelling those who were leaving. We also provided a back-up service for shop owners in case they were called away for an emergency.”
Later, Heather chaired the committee raising money for a new performing arts centre for Warkworth, which was earmarked for land along the Mahurangi River, beside the old Masonic Hall. The fundraising campaign ultimately failed, but it did generate enough funds to contribute to the renovation and restoration of the old Masonic Hall.
Heather was a member of numerous women’s groups, including Warkworth Toastmasters, and was a volunteer with Warkworth Wellsford Hospice’s catering team, a member of the team that took over Warkworth Walks when the event was relinquished by the Warkworth iSite in 2011, a keen member of the Warkworth Croquet Club and the newsletter editor for Warkworth U3A for many years. On her resignation from that organisation, the then president Geoffrey Bowes said, “We will miss that charm, smile and willingness to assist.”
When David and Heather moved to the Omokoroa retirement village, near Tauranga, four years ago, Heather continued to volunteer for hospice, even washing the nurses’ cars once a month. She and David were also involved in leisure marching. “We loved our time in Warkworth, where we made many friends,” David said. “But eventually doing the lawns and hedges became too much, and we agreed that a retirement village was our best option. We also weren’t keen on being part of the Auckland Supercity.”
Heather died suddenly of a brain aneurysm on October 1. She is survived by her husband, daughter, two stepdaughters – Megan and Jodie – and five grandchildren.
Sharing memories
Friends of the late Heather Metcalfe are invited to ‘share their memories’ of Heather at a function that will be held at the Bridgehouse in Warkworth on Monday, November 9, from 5pm to 6.30pm.
