A Queenstown tourism pioneer will be honoured in two memorial services this weekend.
Frank Haworth, who had a 32 year association with Lake Wakatipu stretching into the early 1980s, died last week aged 92.
Mr Haworth was a great grandson of William Gilbert Rees, who founded the resort.
The services will be held at the Wanaka Presbyterian Church at 2pm on Saturday and at the Queenstown Bowling Club at 2pm on Sunday, which would have been his 93rd birthday.
Mr Haworth, who flew Catalinas in the Pacific during World War 2, launched the small service launch Meteor 1 on Lake Wakatipu in 1950.
In 1959, he had Meteor 2 built in Dunedin. At the time it was the fastest commercial launch in New Zealand.
Its perspex canopy and ducted heating meant it could operate all year. In 1966, Mr Haworth launched a 17 seat hydrofoil, Meteor 3, built in England, which he ran until he retired in 1982. Former Queenstown mayor Warren Cooper said Mr Haworth was a real gentleman.
''He presented himself immaculately, on all occasions, and his vessel was exactly the same.''
By Philip Chandler.
