Kerry Andrew Mawhinney

So sorry to hear of Kerry's passing. He was my teacher at Dip Flat and then my Field Officer while in Hokitika .I went to their wedding many years ago. I enjoyed his company and we had a lot of fun together. He was certainly a great friend and Boss. He will be sadly missed. Rest in Peace, my old friend.

Kerry was a loyal friend for 60 odd years. We did many trips into the mountains both on the job and later. Fishing & hunting too. His family ment alot to him. He will be sadly missed .

Kerry will be so missed by his family. A caring lovely man Selwyn & I spent last Christmas with him & his family & our family which was a happy time .
Loving thoughts to you all as you farewell your much loved Dad, grandfather & G Grandfather . Marie & Selwyn

We have a lot of great memories of visits to Kerry and Maries over the years. He was such a kind man and always took a keen interest in what we all were doing. He will be missed.

After one early morning duck shooting Opening day in the central North Island, late 1970's, Kerry and I were looking in an adjacent area for more elusive, wary and feathered game.

In the middle of the day, the question was asked of Kerry how did he know there was wild duck habitat where we were looking as it was concealed by surrounding cover? He replied that he had spotted it from a high vantage point, with his binoculars, while on another mission.

Now, those binoculars were a very big, heavy looking set that were probably a 10X power plus at least, that only a big strong man of serious commitment would consider carrying around - this he certainly was

Some years later while with Kerry on a fallow hunt in the Blue Mountains, Otago, those same binoculars were used to good advantage to spot two separate lots of deer. He then hunted the fartherest deer and nailed one, leaving me to have a go on the closer ones. The value of good quality, powerful binoculars, in the hands of a seasoned hunting professional left a lasting impression on a young hunter - as well as all the other examples, clues and information that was gleaned from him. Such was the calibre and character of the man, Kerry Mawhinney.

When Marg and I returned from two and half years working on the Sagarmatha National Park establishment project I followed Kerry's footsteps as the Chief Ranger in Tongariro National Park, I know how well everyone both working and living in the park appreciated Kerry's management style. I have a photograph of Kerry on a trip we did in TNP there will be added to the slide presentation Dave Wakelin is putting together for the pre-'87 Rangers gathering in Wellington later this year. The sad part of these fantastic reunions is remembering friends and colleagues that have done so much for the Ranger service and conservation in New Zealand that are lurking around in the big National Park in the sky.
tena ra e hoa, moe mai ra. farewell Kerry sleep in peace

Kerry waas a Competent manager of Parks and the Conservation Estate with a friendly manner to all. It was a pleasure to be part of the Team with Kerry at Tongariro National Park.

Kerry and Marie were special friends of ours from the time they arrived at TNP. Kerry and I enjoyed many days together hunting and fishing.
Not long after Marie and Kerry arrived at TNP Kerry invited me to go hunting with him. We headed up the Mangatepopo Road parked and headed cross country towards the Chateau. We didn’t see any deer and as darkness crept in we headed back to our vehicle. Kerry set a cracking pace and that’s when I realized that this had nothing to do with hunting but was a test to see what I was made of. I had a heck of a time keeping up and when we got to our vehicle I said “that was a heck of a walk”. He never said a word just a large grin on his face. I knew I had passed.

One evening we got a phone call from Kerry. He had been fishing and left three trout on his back step. Our dogs had been up to the house and eaten the fish. He was never one to yell but you knew he was angry. It’s a wonder I didn’t get fired.

Prior to leaving NZ Kerry and I took a hunting trip into the headwaters of the Rangitikei to hunt and fish for four days. After we landed and stowed our gearKerry went fishing and I went hunting. When I returned empty handed once again Kerry had a large grin on his face. He had caught a 5kg rainbow that he had smoked after fashioning a smoker from a rusty old kerosene can. Best smoked fish ever.

On one trip back to NZ Kerry invited me to join him on a deer culling trip to Stewart Island. We travelled to Pegasus Harbour by launch and set up camp. During the day the helicopter would take us to hunt and the young fellow on the launch would dive for oysters and scollops that we ate for breakfast and dinner. Somehow quite a few oysters made it back to Invercargill. Best hunting trip ever.

We enjoyed holidays in NZ and Canada with Marie and Kerry. When they came to Saskatoon we toured west through the National Parks When we stopped in the evening Kerry would insist we have a “comfortable screw” a favourite drink of his southern comfort and orange juice. He said it helped his gout.

As I write these events down I keep thinking of more good times we had together.
Kerry and Marie meant the world to us and we will miss them
So Long Kerry


Teresa and Phil Ashton