The Bookmnan was very sorry to read in the New Zealand Herald online this afternoon that Don Stafford died in Rororua yesterday afetr a brief illness.
Here in part is the New Zealnd report:
Rotorua's official historian dies aged 82
By Abigail Hartevelt
Tuesday Apr 6, 2010
Dr Stafford died in Rotorua Hospital at 12.15pm yesterday surrounded by his family.
His daughter Jenny Barlow said her father had been in hospital for two weeks but had been unwell for three months.
Family members gathered at his Whakaue St home yesterday afternoon.
Mrs Barlow described her father as the "most wonderful non-judgmental, kind gentleman whose manners were impeccable".
"He still opened doors for people and took off his hat for females. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word."
Even though his work in preserving Rotorua was important to him, it was his family who came first, Mrs Barlow said.
His last words were about how much he loved his family - something he would often tell his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Dr Stafford was a "storyteller, a keeper and sharer of knowledge", Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell said.
"Thanks to Don a lot of Te Arawa history will never fade among the generations and this is one of the greatest legacies he has left for Te Arawa.
Dr Stafford was awarded an MBE, a CBE and an honorary doctorate from Waikato University. He was regarded as Rotorua's Pakeha kaumatua.
He was the author of 23 books and was Rotorua Museum's founding curator.
The full report at NZH online.
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