Hundreds gather to farewell Chester
Chester Borrows was known for bringing people together, and the hundreds of people who gathered to farewell him in Hāwera on Thursday reflected all the communities he was involved with.
The top brass from the police and the Anglican church, more than 14 current and past members of Parliament, members of South Taranaki iwi and many of Taranaki’s community leaders, joined his family and friends for a moving service in the stadium at Hā wera’s TSB hub.
Among the attendees were police commissioner Andrew Coster, politicians Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Ian McKelvie, Paula Bennett, Chris Finlayson, Winston Peters, Shane Ardern, Wayne Mapp, Andrew Little and Adrian Rurawhe, and Anglican archbishop of New Zealand Philip Richardson.
Borrows, 65, died last week at his South Taranaki home, surrounded by his family.
He had been receiving treatment for terminal head and neck squamous cell cancer.
His funeral started with a karanga as iwi representatives escorted his casket, carried by his children and friends, into the stadium, and a karakia and welcome by speakers from Ngati Ruanui and Ngā ruahine.
Borrows’ three children, his sister and a close friend shared memories of a man who was known for his kindness, practical outlook, mischief and humour, fast driving, liking of a drink and an un-PC joke with friends, and as a devoted father and husband.
‘‘He was a wonderful, loving, humble man who wanted to do right by everyone,’’ his son Zac said.
Borrows, who hated formality ‘‘with a passion’’, had gone into roles with lots of formality.
He spent 45 years in the justice sector, including 24 years as a police officer, then a lawyer and a member of the parole board.
He was also MP for Whanganui for four terms and was minister for courts and deputy Speaker of the House in the Key Government before retiring in 2017.
For the past five years, he was Archdeacon of the Anglican Waitotara Diocese, overseeing eight parishes in South Taranaki.
South Taranaki Anglican regional dean and longtime friend Reverend Trevor Harrison spoke of Borrows’ great Christian faith, which had driven his passion for justice.
Former South Taranaki mayor Ross Dunlop said Borrows, ‘‘a bloody good bloke’’, was respected by everybody, no matter what their politics or religion were.
Among his achievements while in government had been helping get the dangerous Normanby Overbridge on SH3 replaced with a safer road, and he worked hard to get laws changed so Pātea could access funding from the Toi Foundation (formerly TSB Community Trust).
Borrows went into Parliament with a ‘‘template’’ of strong principles and never deviated from them, service officiant Rob Webb said.
He had chosen the hymns for his funeral, and the speakers he wanted.
‘‘He said to me, I’m not afraid of dying, I know where I’m going, but I hadn’t planned on doing it yet’.’’
As the service ended, about half the crowd moved out to form a guard of respect down the hall as the casket was carried out.
A private interment followed the public service.