The service for Pam Mackintosh, who died aged 88 on December 20 last year after a short illness, was held on January 13 at White Rock Mains, a sheep, beef and dairy support property which has been owned by the Mackintosh family since 1909.
It is now farmed by Pam’s youngest son Duncan and his wife Tina, who own the property in partnership with one of Duncan’s brothers, Neil, and his wife Kathryn.
The service for Pam opened with Kirwee bagpiper Ben Simpson playing Amazing Grace and closed with Flower of Scotland, Scotland The Brave and When the Battle is Over.
One of Pam’s six sons, Ewen, was MC for the service, which was held on the large front lawn outside the White Rock Mains homestead.
Ewen said his mother ‘‘would want us to miss her, and I do miss her, terribly’’.
Pam was a strong-minded, independent-thinking woman who was ‘‘a lioness when she needed to be’’, Ewen said.
She witnessed the formation of the women’s liberation movement during the late 1960’s, but heaven help anyone who might have thought it was a good idea to tell Pam, or any of her wide circle of women friends, that they needed liberating.
Other speakers at the service included ‘‘the rock of the family’’, Pam’s oldest son Bill, Tina, Hayley McGoldrick one of Pam’s 18 grandchildren, ‘‘Aunty Elspeth’’ one of Pam’s sister-in-law’s, close family friend Matt Riley, and Scotsman Gary Mackintosh who travelled from Scotland for the service.
Tina said Pam was ‘‘the Queen of White Rock, whose arms were always wide open to welcome you.’’
Her death ‘‘has left a hole in our hearts forever, but still beating with love for her’’.
One relative, and close friend, who was unable to attend the service for Pam was Ann Jelfs, of Rangiora.
Ann and Pam’s grandmothers were sisters, but it wasn’t until they worked together as volunteers at the Rangiora Museum that they got to know each other well.
Pam became an archivist at the museum around 1983, Ann says.
She was also secretary for a time and continued her work there up until her death.
‘‘She loved research, particularly local families and local history.
‘‘Because she was born in Rangiora, she knew nearly everybody from those early days or how to trace where they came from and who to contact for further information,’’ Ann says.
Pam also enjoyed playing golf, horse riding when she was younger, and being part of the White Rock/Loburn/ Rangiora community.
She was also a keen genealogist and did many trips overseas researching the Mackintosh family history.
In recent years she lived in Rangiora but before that Pam and her husband Alistair Mackintosh farmed at White Rock Mains, until Alistair’s death in 2011.
Rangiora Museum president John Biggs, who was also a speaker at the memorial service, said Pam’s death would leave a big gap in the ranks of those museum members who have personal knowledge of past events and people.
‘‘As well as being archivist, Pam kept up contact with other museums and similar organisations in North Canterbury, and further afield,’’ he said.
‘‘She was an interesting person to know, and I am grateful to have known her for nearly five years.’’
By Shelley Topp
