Wayne Nelson McGrevy

My Uncle wrote this (my father's oldest and only sibling). It will be posted in the New Zealand newspaper.

It is with deep regret that Noel McGrevy and the McGREVY Family announce Wayne's death from cancer at the Centre Hospitalier Territorial de Mamao, Papeete, Tahiti, on Friday, August 22nd 2008, at around 7:00 a.m after a valiant struggle of several months. He was just a month short of his sixty-fifth birthday. The second son of Andrew Esmond McGrevy and Mavis Mary (nee Sly) McGrevy, Wayne had lived for about half of his life in Tahiti, married to Tetumarere Manarani and together they had nine children: Ruth Celeste (married to Ty Hampton, Arizona), Lois Heipua (married to Jay Stogdill, Arizona), Judith Hinano (married to Michel Pedron, Tahiti), Debra Jeanne (married to Rainui Ariipeu, Tahiti), Ruben Wayne McGrevy (Tahiti), Andrew Oehau McGrevy (Tahiti, presently serving an LDS mission in New Zealand), Jean-Philippe Noel McGrevy (Tahiti), Mahana Mavis McGrevy (Tahiti), and Michael Sam McGrevy (Tahiti). Ruth and Ty Hampton have three children: Tia Nicole, Jonathan Ty,
and -- just this month -- Joshua Wayne.
Lois and Jay Stogdill have two children: Kalia Tiare and Carson Teva. Judith and Michel Pedron have three boys: Michel Junior, Didier and Heimana. Debby and Rainui Ariipeu have two children: Kaleb Rainui, Olea Herehau.
Wayne, who served a three-year LDS mission in Tahiti in the late 1960s, returned to New Zealand and was employed translating LDS materials into French and Tahitian. He was assisted by a translator from Tahiti, Tetumarere Manarani whom he married on June 3rd 1972, in the New Zealand Temple, Hamilton. They spent several years in New Zealand during which Wayne taught at the Church College of New Zealand as well as doing other work for the church. They finally decided to go to live in Tahiti where they built a house in Raiatea and continued growing their family prior to settling in Tahiti Nui where Wayne was employed to manage the LDS Temple there, retiring only about a year ago. An unfortunate fall some months ago on their retirement property in Taravao, on the northern side of the island, precipitated a series of unpleasant physical experiences culminating in a particularly aggressive lymphoma against which he fought vigorously until he was unable to sustain the added strain of the final chemotherapy treatment upon his already weakened system.
Wayne leaves behind a blameless record of service and involvement in the programmes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as having maintained an active interest in Tahiti and its people, conservation, world wildlife, collecting vintage Pacific postcards and photographs, collecting books about Tahiti and the Holocaust, humanitarian service, and an abiding concern for the stray cats he found living in his neighbourhood and whom he regularly fed and provided with practical care. He was known to many as a cheerful and helpful person. He appreciated all people and did not let differences prevent him from communicating in a friendly manner with anyone who needed his time. He spoke highly of a doctor from Madagascar who was involved in some of his treatment and he appreciated the care and concern shown toward him while he was in hospital by the many different people who had a hand in helping him. A loving father and husband, a considerate and caring brother, a loyal friend, a committed servant of good causes, and a humble disciple of Jesus Christ whom he sought to follow in all he did, Wayne is much missed by many whose lives he has affected in many positive ways. His legacy lives on in the children he and his extraordinarily devoted wife brought up (although he would readily give his wife most of the credit for that). Memories of him will always be an encouragement, and the warm glow of the love that motivated his life will always be felt.