Ralph bids farewell to Woodville
After 87 years living in Woodville, Ralph Mountfort has quietly moved to Palmerston North’s Julia Wallace Retirement Village to be close to wife Ngaire.
He did not want a fanfare associated with his departure but was happy to reminisce about his full life working, serving and living in the Woodville area.
He was raised on his dad’s dairy farm and with brother John took over the running of it on Masterton Road dairy farming and raising pigs.
It was a hard life and money was not readily available in the early days.
He remembers killing a pig and selling it around the pubs each Friday night to earn cash to pay the bills for a growing family with Ngaire and their five children.
During that time Ralph got involved in a lot of local organisations and this expanded when he retired from the farm handing over to his daughter.
The farm has been in the family for 100 years.
Ralph will be remembered for his role as Woodville Borough and later Woodville District mayor, playing a major part in the setting up of the Tararua District Council.
He still doubts the wisdom of the latter as he does not think Woodville has benefited.
His proudest achievement as mayor was the building of the Woodville Community Centre, working as chairman of the building committee with Bill Bly to see the project completed.
He was a JP for over 30 years retiring relatively recently.
This made it a very busy life and he was pleased to help so many locals, some of whom still cannot believe he has retired.
Ralph also was active in many other local organisations, taking a leadership role in many — The Woodville Domain Board, Woodville Rotary, The Woodville Horticultural Society and Woodville RSA while still finding time to be president of the Palmerston North Cossie Club for eight years.
He even dabbled in theatre enjoying productions of Aliens Alive and Street Cats for the Woodville Little Theatre.
His expertise as a musician had him playing the organ for the Holy Trinity Church at many funerals and services over 20-plus years.
Rev Rosie McMillan says Ralph and Ngaire were important parishioners over the years, always there to help.
She says they will both be greatly missed, particularly Ralph for his knowledge and wisdom.
In retirement Ralph managed to fit a deep passion for gardening around his official commitments, specialising in particular in daffodils and dahlias which he took to the highest national levels at shows all over New Zealand.
He was Woodville Horticultural Society President for over 20 years.
Now Ralph follows Ngaire to the Julia Wallace Residential Village where he has purchased a residential unit.
He found the daily travel to Palmerston North to visit Ngaire very tiring and plans to take her out daily now he lives there.
He knows a number of exWoodville residents who have crossed the divide.
His house in Woodville, their home for 52 years, will soon be on the market once the accumulated contents are sorted — no small task for the family.
He has taken what he needs including his piano accordion, piano and keyboard plus two boxes of books he has been too busy to read.
He has 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren to spend time with and is looking forward to starting the next new adventure in his life.
“Life has been very good in Woodville and I have been blessed with good health but it is time to move on,” he said.