William Yates and whanau

Pictured here Maraea holding their daughter Dixie and William (aka Bunny) with their son David.

Ngarua William Yates of Ngati Rangiwewehi, Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Maniapoto, Ngati Tuwharetoa and Maud Monehu Maraea Yates nee Moeau of Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki.

Dad was born to Sophie Te Weno Yates nee Hodge & Charles Alfred Yates on 13 December 1915.  His parents separated and divorced when he was young and the 5 children were cared for by their parents, grandparents and aunts.  Dad went to live with his aunt Miriama and her husband Wi Kaipuke in Nuhaka near Gisborne.  He attended Nuhaka School and Te Aute College.

Dad took up carpentry and spent alot of time working in Gisborne.  There he met his beautiful future wife, Maud who at the time was raising Lewis, her brother, Sam Moeau's son.  Lewis' mum Lucy died 4 days after giving birth to him.

Wiremu and Maud married at Manutuke Anglican Church on 21 August 1940. 

When dad left to go to War, he and mum had 2 children of their own, David and Dixie (seen here in this picture) and another child on the way.  Regardless, dad was determined to fight for his country.

Dad enlisted under the name Wiremu Kaipuke.  He changed his name back to William Yates on September 1953.

He left New Zealand on 21 July 1943 and Orsogna was born on 14 March 1944.  As the story goes, dad wrote to mum and told her to name the baby, Orsogna.  Mum had no idea how to pronounce the name so she visited an Italian man who owned a fish shop in Gisborne.  She showed him the letter from dad and asked how to pronounce her name.  Orsogna is a place in Italy, not far from where dad was fighting.  Dad picked up the Italian language very well and up until his death, he enjoyed speaking the language.   Dad returned from the War on 23 January 1946.

My parents had a further 5 children, myself (Maude), William, Sydney, Greta Aroha and Bronwyn.  Our parents also helped raise Dixie's daughter Mercia. 

We moved to Rotorua in 1946, 3 weeks after I was born.  Aunty Miriama had given land to dad to build a home for us.  Dad and mum extended our home in Rotorua to accommodate their large family.  When David attended Whakarewarewa School at Rotorua, he was awarded the Ngarimu VC Scholarship in 1954 after sitting an exam in Form 2 which entitled him to go to boarding school at Dannevirke High School.  Dad and mum were very keen for all of their children to have a good education and we all succeeded in various fields.

David, General Practioner and father is now retired suffering with Motor Neurone Disease.

Dixie, Physiotherapist, Head Physiotherapist Rotorua Hospital and mother who died 21 January 1985 of cancer.

Orsogna, Kindergarten teacher and mother who died 28 October 2009 after a long illness.

Maude, Accounts clerk Lands & Survey Dept Rotorua & Wellington.  Mother, caregiver and gardener.

William, Staff nurse Rotorua Hospital and varioius jobs who is now suffering with the return of polio & other illnesses.

Sydney, teacher and tutor Waiariki Polytech Rotorua who died 7 August 1995.

Greta Aroha, teacher, mother, Dr of Philosophy and Dean at Waikato University.

Bronwyn. CEO Literacy Aotearoa and mother and awarded an QSM.

Besides dad's full time work as a carpenter, he involved himself on school committees.  He participated fully as a speaker and kaumatua on our Te Arawa marae.  He fulfilled an important role as a kaumatua within Te Arawa and his work in the Anglican Church, particularly in the Synod and at St Faith's church near our home in Ohinemutu.

Mum died suddenly at the young age of 67.  Eleven months after her death Dixie lost her battle with cancer.

Dad lived till he was 83.  He remained in Rotorua and for the latter part of dad's life there, his son William lived with him.  A year before dad's death, William had a hip replacement operation so dad came to live with us in Upper Hutt.   William was born with polio and because of this, the recovery was very slow.  William had to learn to walk again.  In the meantime dad's health was failing too. 

I worked at a rest home in Upper Hutt run by the Salvation Army and dad would come to work with me each day.  Everyone loved dad.  He was a natural speech maker and he never missed the opportunity to express his gratitude for the care given.  He also loved reading. 

Dad never wanted to end up in a rest home but after 10 months of daily visits to this rest home, dad asked to be admitted as he was tired of the early morning routine.  He lived for another 2 months and on 11 October 1999, dad died in Upper Hutt.

We then took Dad home to Rotorua where he always wanted to be.  He was buried at Puhirua Cemetery, Awahou, Rotorua, wearing his RSA jacket and his medals as he insisted and alongside his wife, daughter and son and together with his ancestors beside him.

Dad and mum did the very best for us and for that I salute them both.

 

Reference:

Family Collection.  Photograph and text courtesy of Maude Ryan (nee Yates)

Submitter:
Submitted by mbadmin on

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