Shy, generous woman kept on gardening until her death
Maureen Ostler was a quiet woman who raised more than $30,000 for charity by sharing her beloved garden.
She was still working in the
1.6ha garden and caring for a flock of sheep up to her death on January 24 at the age of 85.
Ostler’s Garden in Stratford was part of Taranaki’s annual garden festival from its inception in
1987, but she had first opened it a year earlier as a fundraiser for the Stratford Lions Club, first vice president Peter Death said.
‘‘She donated all the money she raised to the club. This year it was about $1500. We never added it all up, but over the 31 years it would have been more than $30,000.’’
Maureen and her husband Arthur created the garden around three lakes that they dug out, transforming a bare paddock on the edge of Stratford into their own bush-inspired paradise.
After Arthur Ostler died in
1992, his wife continued to open her garden in the festival each year.
‘‘She came along in 1995 with a cheque for the club and we invited her to join the club.
‘‘Lions became a bit of a social outreach for her, she used to dress up and come to conferences with us. She enjoyed getting out and meeting people and doing things for the community. ‘‘
He described Ostler as a shy and generous woman who worked hard behind the scenes, with a special skill of chopping many piles of onions for the club’s sausage sizzles.
‘‘Maureen said each day kept her young, as long as she had something to do every day, and she kept gardening right to the end.’’
Longtime friend and neighbour Len Hotter said she still worked in her garden every day.
‘‘Everyone who ever goes there would ask her who her gardener was, and she wasn’t very happy about that.
‘‘She’d say ‘I do it all myself, me and Mr Roundup’. She was a real good friend and I’m going to miss her very much.’’