More than 200 family, friends and colleagues came from overseas, around New Zealand and locally to attend the funeral service for Otago Regional councillor Dr Maggie Lawton (67) who died in Wanaka on Tuesday morning after a short battle with cancer.
The packed service at The Venue in Wanaka yesterday afternoon heard how Dr Lawton was a devoted mother and grandmother, a passionate advocate for the environment and the Otago region, and a "stellar politician."
Family friend Peter Donoghue said "Otago was her heartland, to her family she was a powerhouse, a mountain of support, a great lake of influence and a river of motivation."
Her eldest daughter Katrine Gellatly said growing up was always full of adventure and opportunity with her mother.
"She was a forensic scientist who worked full time, raised children, found time to attend our sporting events, coped with dogs and cats, and saved the odd mouse and bird who flew into our window.
"We thought all mothers were like that."
Fellow regional councillor Michael Laws admitted when they were both campaigning for election to the ORC last year he was in awe of her.
"I’m not someone normally given to moments of modesty but when I saw her CV, I thought ‘I haven’t got a chance’, then when I heard her speak, I thought I really didn’t have a chance."
He said Cr Lawton had the ability to connect facts and argument, not in a bombastic way but in a clever, clear and methodical way.
"She was intelligent, reasoned, rational and everything that I’m not and her mixing of ideas had me occupying the role of Tonto to her Lone Ranger," he said.
They were polar opposites of the political spectrum but she "opened doors and my eyes".
Dr Lawton was working on council business right up until her death and last week made a series of video clips with Cr Laws to allow her message for positive change for the environment and Otago region to carry on.
A clip was played during the service in which Dr Lawton said "If we don’t take action the environment is going to degrade."
Cr Laws said Dr Lawton was "too decent for politics, but she loved it."
"She really enjoyed the chance to make a difference and was absolutely determined to do so."
"She wished she’d entered politics years ago," he said.
