Passing of 21 Club secretary Garry Mace

It is with great sadness that we must advise of the death of the 21 Club Secretary, Garry Mace. He passed away in hospital on Saturday night after suffering a stroke last week. 

Garry was a proud member of the Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club and he was made a Surf Life Saving New Zealand Life Member in 2011.

Garry first joined the movement in 1947 with New Plymouth Old Boys and later became a member of Lyall Bay and Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Clubs.

He gained his Surf Lifeguard Award with NPOB in 1960 and went on to compete over a number of years, representing all three clubs in competition. He also held important administration positions in both Wellington and Auckland.

At a national level, he was World Lifesaving Liaison Officer for a number of years representing New Zealand on many occasions overseas and he was also Captain of the New Zealand delegation that went to the World Lifesaving meeting in South Africa in 1974. 

Garry was awarded a Wellington Service Award in 1964, the New Zealand Service Award in 1973, the Auckland Service Award in 1980 and a SLSNZ Distinguished Service Award in 1981.

He was awarded a Northern Region Distinguished Service Award in 2006 along with his SLSNZ 50 Year badge.

Garry was a former businessman, keen outdoorsman and a true gentleman and his death is a huge loss for the movement.

Our thoughts go out to his wife Shirley, their family, his fellow 21 Club members and the wider Surf Life Saving family at this very sad time.

A service for Garry will be held at St Andrews Anglican Church,100 St Andrews Rd, Epsom, Auckland on Thursday (May 22) at 1pm, followed by a private cremation.

Any members who are unable to attend the service but would like to pass on their condolences are invited to email interim secretary Russell Williams at aqua.nz@gmail.com . He will collate them and pass them on to Shirley as a collective tribute.

Cards for Shirley and her family can also be sent care of Russell to: 31 Inverness Drive, Pyes Pa, Tauranga 3112.

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Honeybone, Media & Communications Specialist, SLSNZ
Phone 09 303 9335 or 0276 488 823
Email lisa.honeybone@surflifesaving.org.nz