MAYALL, Graham Vernon Gould:
Peacefully on Thursday, 15 May 2025 in Cambridge, surrounded by family at the age of 88.
In lieu of flowers a donation to Hospice Waikato would be appreciated and can made at www.hospicewaikato.org.nz
Messages to the ‘Mayall Family’ can be sent c/- Grinter’s Funeral Home, 3 Hallys Lane, Cambridge 3434 or in Graham’s online tribute book on this page.
A memorial service to celebrate Graham’s life will be held at Woodside Estate, 132 Woodside Road, Tamahere, Hamilton on Friday, 23 May at 11.00 am.
2 Messages:
We first met Graham when we were new to town, end of 2019. We were out the front of our shop one day painting and Graham walked past and asked us what business we are going to be, and when we said a real estate firm and he said, “not another real estate company” we laughed and immediately used his words to make up part of our marketing, not another real estate company! A few weeks later and the office was up and running and Graham popped in to see how it was all going. From then on Graham would visit us weekly. Calling in on his way to the gym or Health 2000, or after the gym on his way to get an ice cream. He shared stories with us of his farming days in Eureka, his many hiking adventures, and updates on his family. He brought in photos from his hikes from time to time, and we were all so proud when he made it into the local newspaper for his efforts at the gym. I would often head down to the lions shed to say hi and hunt for treasures and Graham would be nose deep in the junk skip bin busy at work, doing the job no one else wanted to do. He always made sure I was doing my shopping at the lions shed! When we brought our house a few years later Graham came into the office and said he had put aside a dining table for me to look at and buy from the lions shed, I was nervous at first thinking ‘what if I don’t like the style of it’ haha, but sure enough I went down to the lions shed fully prepared to buy it either way and with my name on it is a beautiful native timber dining table that I love, and it has even more meaning now. We got Graham a few More-Re branded hats because we knew how much he loved his caps. We would see him pull up outside the office and quickly switch his hat from either his anytime fitness hat or one of his son’s work hats to ours and walk in and chat like he had been wearing it all day haha. Once Graham could not drive he would call and I would call, for catch ups and check ins on the latest news in town and how he was doing. He was so excited when I got married that he would keep an eye on our advertising in the local newspaper and wait for it to show my new last name. I still have a voicemail on my phone from him congratulating me that my name had changed in our ads. We only knew Graham for 6 years, but him coming to see us was always the highlight of our week. We will miss you Graham but your legacy and friendship with us at More-Re will live on in our hearts forever.
Another great tree has fallen – may the saplings come away well and grow strong and true too.
Graham was a faithful member of our M.E.I.T planting and weeding team for such a very long time, very capable and willing to do the hard grind of keeping the bush paths clear and clean, and really getting kick out of each winter, planting the natives required outside the fence. He was so interested in every aspect of the project and his contribution much valued by the team who often teased him with the ‘Grumpy Graham’ title which he enjoyed. His attention to making sure we were using sharp spades (so sharp you could have shaved with them!) and kind considerations, much appreciated.