Newspaper Article 1999 – Napier identity dies, 89

Napier identity dies, 89

OBITUARY

The patron of one of Hawke’s Bay’s oldest rugby clubs, Marist Old Boys, Frank Mahony died recently, aged 89.

The Marist Rugby Club, which merged with Napier Old Boys in 1990, was established by Mr Mahony’s father in 1908.

In the 1980s he attended his 50th consecutive annual meeting as the patron of the club and was one of the co-patrons of the merged club.

Mr Mahony, who was born in Napier, was awarded a British Empire Medal in 1972. He was the director of one of New Zealand’s oldest family businesses, the carrying firm J Mahony and Son. The firm was established by Mr Mahony’s grandfather 127 years ago.

Mr Mahony was responsible for organising his firm’s rural mail delivery and he began the service shortly after the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake.

He still continued to sort the mail and make the occasional delivery on the Napier-Aropaoanui run until 1990.

During the war years he was often the only link many of the isolated farming families had with the outside world and his 100km run often took him 12 hours to complete.

He was Father Christmas at many school breakups in the area.

Mr Mahony was also involved with St Patrick’s Church Napier and was a member of the Napier Club.