Influential teacher has died

Brent Costley, a prominent teacher and member of the Palmerston North Anglican Church community, has died after a short battle with cancer.

Costley started teaching at Palmerston North Boys’ High School in 1974 and retained ties with the school after his semiretirement in 2002. He died on Monday surrounded by family, about six weeks after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia. He was 68 years old.

Brent Costley’s son Tim said beneath his father’s stoic front, he had ‘‘a real softness’’, was devoted to his family and adored his wife Dorothy, who also taught at boys’ high. The pair met as volunteers for Inter-school Christian Fellowship, before Brent moved to Palmerston North.

‘‘Dad’s end-goal was never a position of importance, or the perfect test score, but rather character. He chose to value character and traits such as integrity, honesty, respect.

‘‘He did expect his students to perform, but the motivation wasn’t a better test score, but rather a better person at the end of the year. I think that’s what many realised as they left school and went on in life.’’

All Saints’ dean John Hornblow said tributes to Costley were flowing from throughout New Zealand and overseas. He had influenced many and was known as a storekeeper of stories and knowledge within the church.

‘‘What motivated Brent was his deep faith in God and his very practical following of the teaching of Jesus. He really was a man who lived out his faith at all levels, whether in the classroom or the community or the church.’’

In 2006, Costley was awarded the Bishop of Wellington’s medal of service for his work in the community and the Anglican Church.

‘‘He had a lot of integrity and was always ready to help others and carry through on anything he committed to with great enthusiasm,’’ Hornblow said.

‘‘He was very helpful in terms of linking the church and the community and bringing those together, and was always very supportive of the church being engaged with the community. He was somebody who was really loved and known by a lot of people.’’

At boys’ high, Costley taught English, social studies, geography and history and, as teacher librarian, he contributed to the design of the school’s library.

He became a senior master in 1988 and in 1997 rose to deputy rector. He coached debating teams and supported the Inter-school Christian Fellowship group.

Since 2012, he had worked as a tertiary education liaison for the school.

Boys’ high rector David Bovey said Costley would be missed by the school.

‘‘You only have to talk to any old boys to see the range of young men who were influenced by him. He was one of life’s gentlemen.

‘‘He had very very high standards and made them clear to all the boys, and expected them to work hard and was very good at getting them to work hard.’’

At Costley’s retirement from boys’ high, then associate rector William Kersten described him as a ‘‘consummate educationalist’’.

Costley’s funeral will be held at 11am on Saturday January 14 at Palmerston North’s Central Baptist Church.