Appreciated mother, volunteer
Coleen Falvey is remembered as someone who gave of herself to her family, friends and community.
Falvey, who died on December 21, aged 82, at Timaru Hospital, grew up in Pareora.
She was actively involved in many South Canterbury groups during her life, including the Pareora Netball Club and Red Cross.
Her second youngest son, Paul, said his mother ‘‘would always be there for the ones she knew and loved and would always regularly visit and support sick and terminally ill family and friends’’.
‘‘She always saw the goodness in everyone, was always thankful for what she received and never expected anything. She just loved to see people happy in what they were doing,’’ Paul said.
He said both his mother and father Ian were sporty and encouraged their five children in their athletics or whatever sport they did.
‘‘Dad was a good runner and cyclist, and Mum played and was involved in netball from 1963 to 2018,’’ he said.
He said his mother had written her life story which included recalling the big party at Pareora Hall when World War II ended when she was 7, and how she wore red, white and blue ribbons.
Though she wanted to be a teacher, Falvey left school at the age of 15 to support her father, uncle, and one of her two brothers, Paul said. Her large family home had two kitchens but no running water – it had to be hand pumped – and there was an outside toilet.
Eventually it was demolished and replaced by a new house with all the modern amenities.
At a family friend’s wedding, where she was bridesmaid, she met groomsman Ian, a freezing worker from Washdyke.
They married in November 1954 and went on to have five children – one girl and four boys.
Falvey kept the house spotless, daily sweeping out the old shed and paths. Her husband would always bathe the children when he came home from the works and get them ready for bed, Paul said.
Some how she managed to find time to bake seven different types of biscuits and cakes each week, as well as cook two meals daily which included meals for her father living close by.
In recognition of her service, Falvey was awarded life membership of the Pareora Netball Club in 2017. She was secretary-treasurer at that time, a position she had held for 50 years.
When she started playing in the newly formed club in 1963, netball was nine-a-side and during a strong period in the 1970s, Pareora had five senior teams and five junior sides.
Another of Falvey’s interests was the NZ Red Cross for which she was a volunteer from the early 1960s, helping with the junior Red Cross at Pareora School. The busy mother raised funds for a wheelchair for the Children’s Ward at Timaru Hospital and made up scrapbooks for the young patients.
She helped establish a Pareora branch of the Red Cross in 1973 and was honoured for her work with a certificate of appreciation in 2001.
Baking for the elderly and ill, and holding the office of secretarytreasurer and co-ordinator manager of the charity shop for nine years, led to her being presented with a 40-year service medal at Government House in 2013.
In the early 1970s, Falvey returned to Pareora School to carry out cleaning and support service duties.
From here she became involved in helping children to read and write. In recognition of her services, she was presented with a lifetime service award by the board of trustees.
When her great-grandchildren visited, she would teach them musical instruments and put on a concert together, with their favourite performance being Kumbaya My Lord, Paul said.
She was always proud of her children and they in turn were proud of her, he said.
Falvey is survived by three of her sons – Mark, Paul, and David – eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Football mad Norman Wiseman is remembered for his sport’s passion and living life to the full.
The 78-year-old South Canterbury man died on Boxing Day from a suspected heart attack in Christchurch while there for Christmas celebrations.
His youngest son, Hayden, said his father’s whole life revolved around football – a commitment recognised with life memberships to the Timaru City Association Football Club, and New Zealand Football, along with a South Canterbury Services to Football Award. He also held the position of former chairman of South Canterbury Football.
NZ Football said in a statement on their website ‘‘we are sad to report the passing of New Zealand Football life member Norman Wiseman, co-founder of Timaru City AFC, ex-chairman of South Canterbury Football and dedicated coach and referee’’.
Wiseman grew up in Blackpool, England, and came to New Zealand with his parents when he was 21 in 1963 but remained a Blackpool Football Club fan. His love of the game led to him and a few others establishing the Timaru City club in 1968 with a priority on competing with out-of-town teams. He ensured Timaru played in the same tangerine colour as his much-loved Blackpool team.
‘‘He hated rugby as it was considered a posh kids’ sport in Northern England. If rugby was on TV he would turn his back to it,’’ Hayden said.
Having played football since he was a youngster, Wiseman was goalkeeper for Northern Hearts in Timaru before taking up coaching, then refereeing and referee inspector. He was proud to referee the New Zealand versus Australia universities in the 1990s in Dunedin and went on to coach senior goalkeepers at the Timaru club.
‘‘It kept him fit, and he was refereeing until four years ago,’’ Hayden said.
He held the Chatham Cup record for conceding the most goals in a Northern Hearts game when in 1965 he suffered concussion without realising it, kept playing and let through 19 goals in the fifth round against Christchurch City who won 19-1. His record stood until 1998.
On a blind date Wiseman met his wife to be, Bronwyn, and they married six months later. She recalled that date was at the Crown Hotel which was on Strathallan St then and it was a football function. They married in 1972 had two sons, and separated in 2009.
Hayden said his father did not always agree with other referees’ decisions and never forgave Argentina’s Diego Maradona for his infamous ‘‘hand of God’’ goal at the 1986 World Cup.
His work life was based around being a self-taught accountant and rising up through the ranks from assistant accounts clerk to accountant.
The family moved to Invercargill and Dunedin for about 11 years for Wiseman’s career, then returned to Timaru and he set up his own computer business. In his spare time he liked to fish and always found time to have a beer on a Friday night with Hayden. He encouraged his sons to play football but never forced them.
On Timaru City’s Facebook page it says, ‘‘Norm will never be forgotten for all his hard work around our club and will be dearly missed’’.
Club life member Peter Dixon said Wiseman encouraged young players and mentored a lot of referees.
Wiseman is survived by his first wife Bronwyn, his sons Gareth and Hayden and two grandsons and second wife Christine.