Jim Anderton’s son Chris says he has been overwhelmed with support after his father’s death at the weekend.
…
Writing on Facebook this morning, Chris Anderton thanked people for the messages of supported he had received:
“They uplift me.”Anderton was two weeks shy of his 80th birthday when he died peacefully in Christchurch, a city he had served as the Sydenham and Wigram MP from 1984 until his retirement from Parliament in 2011.
A Requiem Mass will be held for Anderton at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 70 Spencer St, Addington, Christchurch on Thursday at 2pm.
Anderton had been sick for some time from what I understand. He bowed out of Parliament in 2011, just over six years ago, even then he still looked like he could fight at least 2 more election campaigns.
It really goes to show how ones health can decline in an instant. I knew a man about the same age is JPA, he was more or less fit as a fiddle, living an active social life, then suddenly, his health took a turn for the worse, succumbing to COPD a year later.
No state funeral?
If hoary old Harry Holland could get one, why not Jim?
Usually only for past PMs and very significant others with unexpected death in office – Jim wouldn’t make the bar, and to be fair he wouldn’t have given a toss anyway.
Attempting to live stream here. Not successful. Must have a dodgy internet connection.
I am also having some problems. The Herald is using the same source for the live stream but Newshub/TV3 seem to have a separate stream which seems to be working. Here is is
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/01/livestream-jim-anderton-s-funeral.html
Vale old warrior, you gave us back a country when we felt we had lost it forever. May you live on in the growth of Kiwibank. Thank you for that alone.
Vale Jim. You restored the hope of people who had no political home. I said at the time, I didn’t leave Labour, Labour left me. (1984 on) Thank you for toiling to bring Kiwibank to birth, a protracted labour, pun intended.