Gerald O'FARRELL Obituary

A friend from many years ago.First met Gerald at the Westland hotel in Hokitika the night I met my husband Les in1973.
Gerald was singing Danny Boy.
We lost contact with Gerald about 3 years later when he went overseas.We always remember our time with Gerald,Heather and the 2 little girls Tamara and Shannon.Our thoughts are with you all




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I first met Gerald O'Farrell almost half a century ago, at the end of 1974, a few weeks after I started working as a reporter on the Christchurch Press. Gerald was frequently in the news at the time, having made quite an impact on Christchurch with his ambitious plans for a village development in Governor's Bay. It was a Sunday night and the chief reporter gave me the job of getting a story about Gerald's support of Dr Tom Davis in the Cook Islands' elections. He probably won't talk to you the chief reporter said. But he did and I got my first front page lead. Having made an acceptable impression I continued over the next while to write about Gerald's other activities for the paper. I enjoyed my visits to Gerald's office, intrigued by a Liverpool Irishman's journey to Christchurch via the United States and Central America. I met his wonderful wife, Heather, and got to know their two daughters, Tootsie (Tamara) and Shannon. As it happened a young Christchurch woman, Julie Colombus, had gone to work for Gerald as his personal assistant, not many months before my Christmas introduction. It wasn't long before I was finding excuses to call on Gerald, in the hope of some conversation with the gorgeous Julie with the blazing red hair.

After a while Gerald and Heather's friendship became more important to me than the stories I was expected to write for the paper. Besides, Gerald turned out to be a fearsome ally in coaxing the reluctant Julie to at least look at me. At the end of 1975 I joined (as a journalist) Gerald's expedition to the Auckland Islands, in search of the wreck of the General Grant, and the shipment of gold that sank with her on the west coast of the main island, in 1866. We didn't find any gold but the privilege of visiting these remote islands in the Southern Ocean, and seeing the extraordinary wildlife (especially the Wandering Albatross) was a gift from Gerald that I have remembered and appreciated my whole life since. I also have Gerald, and Heather, to thank for concluding a successful match-making plan. On May 1, 1976, four months after my return from the Auckland Islands, Julie and I were married at St Barnabas', Fendalton. Gerald was my Best Man.

Julie and I left Christchurch a year later and moved to Sydney. We saw a little of Gerald when he also spent some time in Sydney, but our lives were now heading in different directions and in the years that followed we lost touch. We live in England now, with our two children, Sam and Alice, but we have never forgotten Gerald and the impact he had on our young lives. We reminisce about the way we got to know each other and are of no doubt that without Gerald we would not have shared our life together, for which we will be forever thankful. Gerald was a man of conviction, courage, passion, imagination, humour and dreams. He wasn't just a good man, he was my best man.

To all of Gerald's extended family, please accept our sincere condolences. To Heather, Tamara and Shannon, you, and Gerald, are in our hearts for ever.

Robin and Julie Smith
Somerset
UK