Vern Chettleburgh has died
Palmerston North’s latest legend of sport Vern Chettleburgh has died.
Chettleburgh, who was in failing health, was given the servicesto-sport award by Sport Manawatu two weeks ago.
The award recognised some 50 years of involvement in cricket as a player and administrator, including his drive to get the twilight cricket league set up.
He was patron of Netball Manawatu for 26 years and his support for athletics included helping to set up the Community Athletics Track at Massey University.
He has also been involved in a wide range of recreation, reserve, environmental and cultural activities.
Chettleburgh, who was in his 80s, was a keen gardener and rose grower, and helped lead the Manawatu Tree Trust and promote its mantra, the right tree in the right place.
He began his career at Otago University, moving to Massey University in 1965, where he worked in roles including assistant registrar in charge of equipment.
He was a city councillor from 1983 until 2001, serving as a ward councillor for Hokowhitu for the last four terms, and was an enthusiastic chairman of what was best known as the parks and recreation committee.
In 2001, he was elected to what was then the Manawatu-wanganui Regional Council, and went on to chair Horizons’ passenger transport committee, taking an early lead in building the city’s bus services and advocating for better bus terminal facilities.
Already aged over 80, he decided not to seek reelection to the regional council in 2013.
Former city mayor and current deputy chairman of Horizons Paul Rieger has known and worked with Chettleburgh for most of his 50-odd years in the city.
‘‘He was incredibly generous in giving his time for community affairs. He was a most energetic chairman. He was persistent and very influential.’’
As his wife Joan put it when he retired from Horizons, he enjoyed life, and knew how to have fun.