4 September 2007 Immediate release
Rotary District 9940
Taranaki, Wellington, Horowhenua, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Central Hawkes Bay

Sir Roy McKenzie
A tribute by Pat Waite, Rotary International District Governor

Sir Roy McKenzie died at his Lowry Bay, Wellington, home on Saturday 1 September, surrounded by his family. He disliked being described as a philanthropist, preferring the term ‘community volunteer.’ Certainly, his contribution to New Zealand is so much richer than any dollar amount could ever indicate.

Pat Waite, Governor for the Rotary district covering the lower North Island, offered condolences to Shirley (Lady McKenzie), the children and wider family.

“Sir Roy’s passing is a national loss. So many people throughout New Zealand will feel the loss very keenly. Many more will only come to know how much they owe Sir Roy when they read the tributes and realise that behind the community facility, the event, the club or organisation, has been his active care, guidance and funding.

“But first and foremost Sir Roy was a family man and thus the loss is so much the greater for Lady McKenzie, their children and grandchildren. We can only thank the family for their generosity in sharing Sir Roy with us, over so long a time.

“The closeness of that support was acknowledged by Sir Roy in a profoundly moving moment earlier this year at a symposium celebrating his life’s work. His very first words, looking at his wife and family, were to thank Shirley for “wonderful help and support of over 53 years“. The hall rose as one to endorse those comments.

“That symposium also showed a typical side of Sir Roy. It was, at his insistence, entitled ‘Shaping the Future.’ Even after 84 years Sir Roy was still looking to the future and encouraging us all to make a difference.

“Sir Roy’s Rotary involvement was lifelong. He followed his father, Sir John McKenzie, into the Rotary Club of Wellington in 1954, becoming President in 1967. He was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1983, followed in 1996 by the prestigious Rotary International ‘Service Above Self’ award, and in 2005 was awarded the Ruby Paul Harris Pin for 50 years outstanding service.

“Like his father before him, Sir Roy chose Rotarians to work on many of his activities, challenging us to put into practice our motto of service above self.

“Rotary is immeasurably the better for having Roy as an inspiration, and a mentor to so many. Unassuming, quiet – it was his determination, wit and wisdom that opened doors and made things happen. He lived a favourite quote: ‘I cannot do much, but I can do something and what I can do, by the grace of God I will do.’

“We will best honour Roy by carrying on in his footprints, inspired by his legacy of compassion, wisdom and action.”

For further information:

McKenzie family and Rotary
Sir Roy’s father, John McKenzie joined the Rotary Club of Wellington, New Zealand’s oldest, in 1922, the year after it was formed. Rotary was very much part of the fabric of the McKenzie business and family life. It has been partly through Rotary that Sir Roy, as he puts it, has been able to harness his inheritance from his father into a legacy for others.

His father set up two trusts: the J R McKenzie Youth Education Trust, administered in perpetuity by 6 metropolitan Rotary Clubs of North Auckland, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch & Dunedin; and the J R McKenzie Trust, to aid disabled war veterans and children in need of vocational training or medical treatment.

Sir Roy said his involvement in these Trusts, with the strong Rotary influence, gave him a focus at an early age which he was later able to use to give direction to others. He used many of his contacts through Rotary to provide Trustees and Board members for these Trusts and his many other interests. He also instigated activities through his Rotary Club such as music awards, Outward Bound scholarships and annual tree planting of now more than 20,000 trees.

Rotary
Rotary is a humanitarian organization with 1.2 million members in 32,000 clubs in over 200 countries and territories. Members carry out service projects in their own communities and overseas to address such critical issues as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy and the environment.

Globally, Rotary is organized into 530 Districts, each with its own Governor. There are six districts in New Zealand. As D9940 Governor, Pat Waite wears the oldest Rotary chains in New Zealand as Rotary was established in Wellington in 1921. Pat Waite was President of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2003; he has been chief executive of Westpac in New Zealand and later the Public Trust.

The Rotary motto is “Service above Self”.

ENDS

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