Committed servant of the community
Margaret Rankine (nee Huffam), community service stalwart, first aid instructor and conservationist; b Wellington, April 6,1929; m Ian Rankine 1952; 2s, 1d; d Wellington, October 1, 2017, aged 88.
The disastrous Wahine storm in 1968 was to alter many lives, including that of Margaret Rankine. Margaret was born in Roseneath, Wellington, in 1929 and brought up in Khandallah. Apart from a spell at Whanganui Girls’ College, she spent the rest of her life in Wellington’s eastern bays.
She began her working life with the British High Commission after concluding her formal education at Queen Margaret College. Margaret maintained a life-long connection with the college for more than 70 years through the Old Girls’ Association.
After marriage in 1952 to local lad Ian (they met whilst horse riding in Kapiti), two homes and extensive gardens were developed in York Bay, in Lower Hutt.
Early community service started with the Red Cross, which she joined as a voluntary aid detachment (VAD) member in 1948. Margaret had kept her original VAD uniform and was thrilled that it still fitted, and she was able to wear it on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Red Cross in New Zealand in 2015.
Service to Red Cross, and the wider community, continued until shortly before her death.
On April 10, 1968, as Wellington was battered by one of the worst storms recorded in New Zealand history, it was brought home to Margaret that the eastern bays was particularly vulnerable to being cut off and much greater preparedness was needed.
At that time there were no systems for the community to independently and properly organise itself in Eastbourne and the eastern bays.
Some 10 days after the storm, Margaret organised a local meeting and with whoever could be co-opted, set up an Eastbourne-based emergency depot.
Later, in conjunction with Civil Defence, radio and other systems were established so the area could be selfdependent in the event of another emergency.
A garage was set up in Eastbourne to stock emergency supplies, together with subgroups in all the bays so the areas were able to independently organise themselves if need be.
From 1989 to 2008 Margaret was president of the East Harbour branch of Red Cross. Her 40 Year Service Bar citation reads: chairperson of Central region since establishment; past president of East Harbour Branch for three years and long standing member of Executive; Meals on Wheels Driver; assistant at blood transfusion service; First Aid instructor; tutor in schools emergency management; Civil Defence officer on behalf of Red Cross; Radio Transmitter co-ordinator in Eastbourne for Civil Defence on behalf of Red Cross; Lower Hutt VAD; Award of Merit and Bar; Lower Hutt Red Cross Cup 1973 for involvement with youth programmes; Wellington Centre Executive, including vice-chairman 1988-89 and chairman, Health and Welfare Committee 1986-89; and Centre Representative on the Wellington Free Ambulance Board.
Margaret was also an active Rotarian, her contributions marked by her being named a Paul Harris Fellow – the highest award a Rotarian can receive.
She was awarded the Lower Hutt Civic Honour for Community Service in 2008, and the NZ Red Cross 50 Year Service Award and NZ Red Cross Honorary Life Membership Award a year later.
Also in 2009, she was named Wellingtonian of the Year, Community Service, and a few months before her death, the Civil Defence 30 Years Long Service Award and Bar.
As her son Bruce said in his eulogy ‘‘... with all Margaret’s community involvements, it was a wonder she found the time to bring up the children’’, but she did.
As well as breeding pedigree corgis for many years, she played golf at Manor Park Golf Club for more than 50 years, eventually becoming one of the oldest 18 hole players in the district.
As a keen gardener, many hours were spent further developing the large area of native bush at her last property. A believer in conservation principles, Margaret was still buying and planting native trees during the last months of her life.
Margaret’s spiritual home was St Ronan’s Church in Eastbourne where she taught and ran the Sunday School for 10 years, as well as being involved in numerous other church activities. The church was full to capacity for Margaret’s farewell on October 6, at which her two Welsh corgis Eddie and Chelsea were present.
Margaret’s community service as well as her energy, ready smile and sense of fun, will be sorely missed.
Sources: Bruce Rankine, A. Buckell
Some 10 days after the storm, Margaret organised a local meeting and with whoever could be co-opted, set up an Eastbourne-based emergency depot.