Ko te whaea te takere o te waka – mothers are the hull of the waka
Service in remembrance and celebration of Nola Ann Speirs 20 July 1946 – 23 July 2026
Opening Song: Whakaaria Mai – How Great Thou Art, Teeks & Hollie Smith
Welcome: Celebrant K-M Adams
Lighting of rememberance candles:
Nola’s granddaughters Kaylee & Sarah Speirs
Eulogy: K-M Adams
Nola was born in 1946, after her parents met at the end of the war. Born in Huntly, she remained a Huntly girl through and through, despite living many years in Hamilton, Whangamata and in the last few years Te Awamutu.
Huntly was a tight knit community and many of the friends she grew up with stayed connected through the years. When she passed, the word had spread quickly through many of those friends before her children, Kiri and Craig even had a chance to reach them.
Nola’s Dad Bill, despite serving for years in World War II, had a weak heart from childhood illness and was unwell from her childhood. This gave Nola a strong sense of responsibility for her three younger brothers.
The oldest one, Neil, was born when she was six. Her father told her that she needed to save her money to pay for him, and when her parents went to the hospital, she checked her purse, and sure enough the money was gone. Two more brothers quickly followed, and were just as adored – or perhaps as they would have it, bossed around.
Nola spent a lot of time with her maternal grandparents in Te Kuiti. Her grandmother was six foot tall in her stocking feet, and a strong capable farming woman. Perhaps this, and the example of her mother holding the family together through her father’s illness, is what shaped Nola’s strength and resilience.
After leaving school, she worked in a pharmacy, and went to hairdressing college, and was always well made up and smartly dressed.
She met Ron outside the local workingmen’s club while waiting for her Dad. Despite being a good looking local rugby league star, he was the last of his mates unmarried, at what was then considered the ripe old age of 30. Despite a ten year age difference, they soon married, and in due course Kiri and Craig appeared on the scene.
They moved from Onslow Street in Huntly to Hamilton in the early 70s, where they raised their family. It was a time punctuated with regular caravanning holidays, which they would often spend with Ron’s sister and her husband – also Ron and their family.
Later the families built two side by side baches in Whangamata, where many happy memories were made. Huntly South Rugby League Club continued to play a big part in their lives, and there was quite a crew from Huntly in Whangamata that would regularly catch up.
While mostly a stay at home mum when the children were young, Nola cultivated a green thumb and grew a beautiful rose garden, which she continued in both Whangamata, and at her retirement village, where she planted roses in memory of Ron and her brother Peter, who passed before her.
For a decade or so when the kids were older, she worked in real estate, where she loved meeting people from all walks of life, and indulged her passion for smart clothes.
Once Craig and Kiri were grown, she and Ron traveled together, and Nola took up volunteering at the Whangamata library while Ron tinkered on his boat.
After Ron’s death, Whangamata became a bit of a lonely place for her, and moving to a retirement community gave her a new lease on life. She enjoyed joining in on weekly happy hours, quiz nights and outings, as well as having some close friends there.
Ron & Nola loved being grandparents, and Nola was very proud of her children as parents, and also immensely proud of the lovely young women her granddaughters Kaylee and Sarah are growing into.
Although Nola had left organised religion, she continued to hold a strong Christian faith. She believed without a doubt that when she passed she would be welcomed into the arms of Jesus, and would see those who had passed before her once again.
And so, she would want us to remember the promise of John 14:1-3 where Christ says:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Family Tributes
Craig Speirs, Nola’s son
Coming soon….
Kiri Speirs, Nola’s daughter
Back in the 70s, there was a show on TV called Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman’s mysterious alter ego, Diana Prince, wore the height of 70s glamorous fashion, oversized glasses, and her hair in a severely pulled back bun. So when mum turned up at school in her similarly fashionable clothes, hair pulled back and giant sunglasses, one of my brother’s friends said “Craig, your mum looks like Wonder Woman!”
And she was Wonder Woman to us, perhaps in a way that all mums are to their children. Taking care of us, baking every Monday, sewing our clothes, making home made preserves and then there was the making ginger beer phase until none of us could drink any more of it.
Mum ferried Craig to Saturday soccer games, cheering from the sidelines in the frost, and overcame her fear of horses to support me at pony club, juggling a busy real estate career as well.
When Craig and I became parents ourselves I think we more fully came to understand the energy and superpowers it takes to be a parent.
We felt the power of her support and her pride in us our whole lives, even if she did tell me years later that she thought many of my previous choices in boyfriends and partners were “fixer uppers.” No matter where we were in the world, home was where she was.
Mum really came into her own as a grandparent, first with my daughter Zoe and then with Kaylee and Sarah. Freed from the mundane side of parenthood, she was a fully present and adored Nana.
Her superpowers of strength and resilience were tested when within four years her mother Betty died, Zoe was diagnosed with cancer, we lost her beloved husband Ron, and then Zoe relapsed and also passed away.
When Zoe was first diagnosed, Mum & Dad put their lives on hold for a year and moved to Auckland to be there for us, so I could continue to work to pay the mortgage while Zoe was having treatment. While it was a terrible time, it was also precious time together with them. If they ever got sick of the vet game where Zoe was Dr Harry and they were her animal patients, they never let on.
When Zoe relapsed and we had just five and half weeks left with her, mum moved in and made sure there was food on the table and a steady supply of coffee for all the visitors.
She supported me through my grief, while grieving herself, and it bonded us closer.
Despite her losses, she maintained her positivity. If anything she became more determined to find joy in life despite them, and for me to do the same.
We became travel buddies through Europe on a trip she had always wanted to do, river cruising from Budapest to Amsterdam. We visited Craig, Gill and the girls in Melbourne together. We celebrated Zoe on her birthdays with “sparkly shoes day” and eggs benne for breakfast, Zoe’s favourite. When I moved to Napier she would often spend Christmas there, and even got dressed up for an art deco festival. We also became gig buddies in recent years, together seeing Jersey Boys, The Harmonic Resonators, The Highwaymen and most recently the Soweto Gospel Choir.
Being a long time fashion fan, she was an avid supporter of my opshopping habit, and only a couple of weeks ago loved the shoes I bought at the Te Awamutu St John’s shop. She would be delighted I’m wearing them today. And having come back up here in a rush before she died, I was short of clothes. I reckon she would have loved my op shopped coat – it’s peak 1980s Nola style. She was also very supportive and proud of my reo Māori journey, and said she wished she had the opportunity to learn when she was younger. She could still sing some of the waiata Māori she had learned at school from memory though.
Mum enjoyed life in her retirement village, but had a number of health challenges, falling and breaking her legs, and then getting breast cancer and some complications which put her back in hospital.
These last weeks, she had what first seemed to be a chest infection, then pneumonia. She was annoyed we couldn’t have the celebration we planned for her 80th birthday, spending it in hospital instead, and was still making plans for a delayed party.
By the time it was realised her breast cancer had returned, she had only a few short hours left.
Shortly before she passed away, she turned and gripped my hand and told me she didn’t want to do this anymore “see ya”, she kept repeating, “bye.” I told her to go be with Dad and Zoe. I sang a snippet of a song to her – “when they lay me down some day, my soul will rise and fly away, this old world will turn around, I’ll be at peace when they lay me down.” She smiled and said Yes!
It says of Abraham in Genesis: “Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.”
It was clear to me in the hours before mum passed that she was already seeing that next world and those that had passed before her. That she was being gathered to her people.
The messages I have received from people since mum passed, from old friends and new, have overwhelmingly included the word kind. Our mum was kind.
Just like Wonder Woman’s alter ego, mum still loved stylish clothes and her bling to the end. And to us, she was a Wonder Woman, and her kindness is the super power we should all aspire to.
Neil Collins, Nola’s younger brother
Neil spoke off the cuff about memories of Nola taking him to school on the carrier of her bicycle on his first day of school, and when she was a teenager, of her and her friends setting up records and dancing in the garage – and bribing the little boys to go buy cigarettes from them.
He also recalled her first impromptu driving lesson, when she was thrown in the deep end by their father. Neil was very relieved when it was over!
Neil also had the privilege of being present when Ron first met Nola, outside the Huntly Workingmen’s Club while they were waiting for their Dad. After a brief chat, he asked if he could call her some time. She agreed, but commented to Neil – “what a cheeky bugger!” They were married for 44 years.
Roger Collins, Nola’s youngest brother
When Roger was born Nola was about 10 years old and got naming rights for the new baby – the story is he was named after her favourite actor at the time but we aren’t sure who he was!!
She was always a bossy boots but she was the glue us boys needed when our Dad was unwell. She assumed the mother role when our Mum was with Dad at the hospital and couldn’t be there. No tv etc until homework and chores were done – I’m sure we all listened and did as we were told!!
She ran a tight ship and tried to keep us all in line, all while being a teenager herself!
She worked in a pharmacy in Hamilton and passed competency tests for various products – she wore her Competency Badges with pride! (Kiri found this week she still had some of these badges tucked away).
Roger remembers going away with Nola and Ron on holiday when he was an early teenager – he has great memories of those times.
Doug Thomas, Nola’s newphew
Aunty Nola you will be missed, you were so easy to talk with and a great family historian, we had some great chats over the years. I’ll never forget the times I visited the house at Whangamatā and being able to get a glimpse of the lovely life you ,uncle Ron and family had living in such a special place.
Forever in my heart, I know we will meet again.
Photo Memories
Open Tributes
Lisa Nickson
I’m really sorry I won’t be there today to farewell Nola and support you in person. Although moments together have been few and far between over the past 40(!) years, when I think of Nola, I have nothing but positive feelings, not least gratitude for her hospitality and tolerance during our teenage years!
I hope that someone, somewhere can say something similar about me when I go. Reflecting on this this morning has reminded me that small gestures are important influences in life that can be taken for granted. I’ll be thinking of you and Craig today. Go well.
Patricia Anderson
Patty spoke about how she met Ron when he was a on a solo trip to the Whitsundays. He was protective of her as a young woman travelling alone. He and Nola kept up a correspondence via Aerogramme (ask your parents kids!), visiting Patty and her husband Stan in San Diego, before they came to New Zealand and Ron and Nola played tour guide.
Craig later visited San Diego, and with two children in tow, Patty and Stan visited New Zealand once more, and sealed their decision to move here.
The 23rd Psalm – recited by all present
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Final Blessing & words of commital: K-M Adams
Karakia | Blessing: Darry Roycroft
Kia hora te marino
Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana
Hei huarahi mā tātou i te rangi nei
Aroha atu, aroha mai
Tātou i a tātou katoa
May peace be widespread
May the sea be like greenstone;
a pathway for all of us this day
Let us show respect and love for one another
Bind us all together
Retro Girl & the Chemo Kid 