Former Queenstown retiree Jack McPherson, who died recently at his Cromwell rest-home, aged 98, became in recent years an extraordinary supporter of Wakatipu High’s outdoor education programme.
In 2022, he contributed $100,000 to Wakatipu High School Foundation for two vans to help students experience the outdoors.
He then continued to contribute $100,000 for the next three years, including this year, to the school’s outdoor education and junior camps, ensuring students had barrier-free access.
A bachelor, ‘Uncle Jack’, as the school knew him, had farmed in Northern Southland then retired to Queenstown after selling up in 1993, only moving to Cromwell three years ago.
His love for the outdoors developed into a love for tramping, and when in Queenstown he’d walk up Queenstown Hill every morning then once a year walk the Routeburn Track in a day just to test his fitness.
Wakatipu High principal Oded Nathan says his generosity sprung from his "belief in the impact those outdoor experiences can have on young people and their lives, and he’s been an invaluable contributor to the school in that space".
After his first donation, the school flew him to Branches Station to visit its annual Year 10 camp.
This year Nathan also visited him in Cromwell with students Baxter Bamford, Lucy Boniface and Grace Kunath. He also attended his committal in Garston two weeks ago, along with Baxter, Lucy and foundation chairman Daniel Gibbons.
He adds the school’s foundation trustees this week discussed how ‘Uncle Jack’ could be permanently remembered, and says that might take the form of an end-of-year student prize.
