School flag flies at half-mast for accountant-philanthropist

The flag at Auckland Grammar School flew at half-mast on Thursday to mark the funeral of a former pupil, longstanding board member and philanthropist John Wigglesworth.

Son Paul Wigglesworth said about 700 people attended the funeral at St Mary’s in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell.

The Queen’s Birthday honour recipient had a long career at accountants Porter Wigglesworth and Grayburn. He retired from there in 1993 but civic and community projects were a major part of his life.

In 1967 he became a founding trustee of Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

“As a board member, he spent 30 years raising funds for this cause and acted as its president during six of those,” his son said.

He was a founding trustee of the Auckland Library Heritage Trust, raising more than $1 million during 20 years of involvement for the preservation and safe storage of its valuable and rare book collection.

“He donated his time and financial expertise to many charities,” Paul Wigglesworth said.

A trustee of Auckland Art Gallery’s foundation which undertook the $90m fundraising campaign to extend the building, he was also a member of the Mackelvie Trust Board, becoming its chairman in 1990.

He was Rotary Club of Auckland president and a Northern Club and Auckland Club member. As well, he was president and life member of the Auckland Water Ski Club and the NZ Water Ski Association.

He had served as a director of eight listed companies including Corporate Investments, Montana Wines, Optical

Holdings and New Zealand Newspapers.

In 2013, he was made an Officer of the New Zealand of Order of Merit for his services to the arts, water skiing and the community.

His death notice this week said he was “a true gentleman” and his son said his father had bought a Colin McCahon painting from his hospital bed shortly before he died. He is survived by wife Sondra and family.