My Account
A loving husband, proud father and grandfather (known as Puku), loyal friend, dedicated lawyer and diehard Mooloo supporter was how many remembered Warkworth lawyer Stuart Callender at a service held at the Matakana Hall on May 7.
There was standing room only as hundreds of family, friends and colleagues gathered to pay their respects.
The service, conducted by Anglican priest Ann Mellor, included a karakia by his grandchildren, several references to his beloved red bands and some quintessential Kiwi music such as 10 Guitars and Poi E.
His friend and colleague Bod Eades described Stuart as a rare breed.
“He served everyone to the best of his abilities, and with integrity,” Bob said. “He was reliable, steadfast, honest, loyal and direct.”
His assistant at Wynyard Wood’s Auckland office for more than 20 years, Trisha Murray, also described him as a ‘big softie’.
“His loud laugh could be heard throughout the office and when asked how he was, the reply was inevitably, ‘Immaculate!’”
Stuart was with the firm for nearly 50 years.
Born in Pahiatua, one of five children, Stuart spent his formative years on the family farm at Orini in the Waikato. The farm remained in family ownership until his parents retired.
He boarded at Mt Albert Boys Grammar School (MAGS) where he later served as head prefect and played for the First XV. After school, he played for Grammar Schools’ Old Boys’ Rugby Football Club and Auckland University Rugby Football Club, Varsity Lawyers. He was on the MAGS Old Boys’ Association management committee and an active member of Epsom Kiwanis for many years.
While at university, he stayed briefly at St Francis House in Grey Lynn, but along with a couple of mates, was asked to leave after contravening the alcohol prohibition rule. Their attempts to blame the smell of the alcohol on a bag of rotting apples were apparently unconvincing.
He flatted in Moehau Street, Grafton, with his fellow ‘evacuees’, one of whom became his brother-in-law. He met Rosalind (Roz) Fenton in 1964 and they married in 1967.
The couple bought a 40ha farm near Orini, at Te Hoe, in 1979 in an attempt to quell Stuart’s frustrated farmer side. They had the farm for 12 years prior moving to Matakana in 1999, where they ran beef and a few sheep, and provided a home for stray dogs, ducks, pukeko and pheasants.
A number of references were made to Stuart’s enjoyment of a beer or two, with his daughter Rachel observing that his favourite beer was DB Green. “He was possibly the only person who kept it in production,” she said.
In recent years, Stuart supported Roz in exploring her whakapapa and encouraged her to develop her artistic talents, particularly in weaving and dying harakeke. Meanwhile, he was a regular on the sidelines of sports fields around Auckland when his grandchildren were playing.
He loved being part of the local community and for many years he and Roz were instrumental in the Warkworth Santa Parade and Wynyard Wood’s pirate ship float.
As a proudly fair man, he equally supported local drinking establishments in both Warkworth and Matakana.
Stuart died at home surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Roz, children Rachel, Fiona, Catherine and Hamish, and seven grandchildren.
