Zander family

Australia

New  zealand

The Ronald ZANDER 1.5.6   story

 

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Ron’s Story & Eulogy as presented at his funeral.

 

Ron was born on April 20 1926 in Eudunda, South Australia.  Tragically his mother passed away three months later.  Raised by his Father’s sister, Aunty Ida and her husband, Uncle Otto Lipshinski.  They cared for him lovingly and even back then he was always neatly dressed. 

 

Some of Ron’s earliest memories were getting dressed up to go into town with Uncle Otto and sitting up at the bar with a raspberry and soda.  He was always grateful and often spoke of his Aunty and Uncle

 

Ron started at Hampden School at seven years of age which he remembered as a big learning curve as he had come from a home where only German was spoken.

 

During his childhood he was the proud maker of porridge every morning, which is something he continued until he went into Hospice only a few weeks ago.  He also tended the turkeys and chooks, and took great pride in cleaning his bike from the age of nine – even to the extent of polishing the ball bearings.  Later he took part in hay making and ploughing on the farm. 

 

His father and step mother would visit on Sundays and after church they would have Sunday Dinner with Ron at the farm.

 

Ron completed his schooling at fourteen and until he left Australia, his employment included mechanical work at Cromwell’s Garage before he went on to driving trucks and collecting cream and eggs from local farmers while working for Farmers Union.

 

When not working, Ron enjoyed touring around with his cobbers, motorbikes, attending dances and weekends down at Barossa Valley with his cousins where he never suffered from thirst. When his brothers Arnold and Edgar came home from leave during the Second Wold War, as Ron had a vehicle to drive around in, this was always a special time. (Ron had many stories to tell of his exploits with brothers and others to the Barossa—Barry)

 

Ron originally came to New Zealand for a holiday but enjoyed it so much that he decided to stay on.  He has always been attached to cars and sent for his Holden to make him feel more at home. 

 

Ron bought a caravan and lived onsite with co-workers at the Sash and Door Timber Mill in Marton.  He enjoyed catching up with the New Zealand contingent of his family.

 

Ron struck gold at the Kaitoke Hall one night when after some persistence he danced the night away with Dawn Bergerson.  Just last Saturday, the family celebrated 43 years of happy married life. 

 

During their married life they were blessed with three lovely children; Kate, Todd and Jodie.  With time this has grown to include, John, Connie and David, six adoring Grandchildren.  Ron was incredibly proud of his family and the choices they had made in their lives.

 

After marrying, Ron transferred to the Wanganui Company of MSD Spiers and then on to the Wanganui Engineering Works where he remained until retirement. 

 

Ron has always had an incredibly strong faith and commitment to the Lutheran Church and attended loyally.  Ron had pride in the Church and the grounds, and spent many hours ensuring they were ready for God and his fellow worshipers every Sunday.

 

Ron’s other main passion, apart from the family, has been cars.  While in latter years his hearing may not have picked up all the conversations but he would never fail to pick up a miss in the engine.

 

Ron loved having his own cars, and attending car rallies.  He took much pride in the role of custodian of the Red Vintage Truck.  Ron would drive the Vintage Truck with great enthusiasm and pleasure at many community events such as galas, fundraising events and Market Days.  He was happiest when he was helping people.

 

He loved providing hospitality and always showed an interest in other people.  Even during his illness, Ron was undemanding, gracious and humble and many of you have said that you will remember him as a true gentleman.

 

 

Eulogy

It’s easy to focus on the last few years but we have been blessed with the love and commitment of a good father and what we can now see as adults, as a truly good man for all of our lives and you can’t ask for more than that – so thank you, Dad.

 

Anything and everything Dad did he liked to do well – whether it was painting the fence at Somme Parade, scrubbing the dirt off our feet or cleaning cars.  Dad was a great believer in, “It’s not how fast you do a job but how well it was done.”

 

As a testament to how hard Dad worked, we remember his hands; the rough skin, the deep cuts, the grease.  Our school shoes were always shiny as were Dad’s work boots.  Unfortunately this wasn’t because of us but, Dad who relentlessly cleaned our shoes every night.  We all remember the small wooden footstool in the back porch at Somme Parade.

 

Another strong memory is how Dad would never leave the house or come home without kissing Mum. 

 

Dad loved dancing at our weddings, trips home to Australia, reading to our children, sitting with the kids on his knee and singing nursery rhymes to them with precise annunciation.

 

Dad loved his sheds and everything in them, his veggie garden, barbecues, fixing anything that you could take apart.  Dad liked to know how everything worked – ask one of us later about the washing machine story.

 

Dad lead by example: as a parent, as a Christian, and a friend.  He was quiet and unassuming which in part, surely must be a by-product of having spent 43 years with Mum.

 

Dad was just happy to be around people; always welcoming and even more so if you were happy to listen to any of his tales about his cars, his grandchildren, or stories of his travels.

 

Dad fought his illness with courage.  He met this opposition to his life with calmness and gallantry.  His faith gave him great comfort and this, in turn filtered down to us.

 

As Guy said, “Papa’s life is like a book and we are in the last chapter now.”