Journalist Garth George dies

Columnist Garth George died in Rotorua on Sunday after a long battle with cancer.

Long time career journalist and Rotorua Daily Post and New Zealand Herald columnist Garth George has died.

Mr George died in Rotorua Hospital on Sunday after a long battle with cancer, he was 75.
Love him or hate him, Mr George was never short of expressing his opinion on everything from fluoride to gay marriage, and everything in between.

Former Rotorua Daily Post editor Kim Gillespie said Mr George had been a much-valued columnist whose views often sparked a response from readers.

"Garth had a knack for getting right to the heart of an issue, and while I didn't always agree with what he wrote, you couldn't deny his passion for both his writing and for his beliefs."

Read more of our favourite (and more controversial) Garth George columns:
Seeing life without fear or anger
Sordid little film not worth fuss
Maybe dog owners should take a test
Garth George: ''Women never satisfied''

Mr George was very proud of his Christian beliefs and his columns were often flavoured by them.

In one of his last columns, in January of this year, he spoke of the many things he was grateful for.

Garth had a knack for getting right to the heart of an issue, and while I didn't always agree with what he wrote, you couldn't deny his passion for both his writing and for his beliefs.

Kim Gillespie

The fact he was still alive, his love and trust in his God, his love for his wife Judith - who he had spent 37 years with - and his close friends "without whom life would be dreary indeed".

In an interview marking his final Rotorua Daily Post column in February, Mr George said he had loved sharing his views through his columns, but had lost his love for writing and wanted to concentrate on the days he had left.

Read his final farewell: Veteran columnist Garth George calls it day

Mr George was an important part of the New Zealand journalism scene and wrote columns for 18 years.

His career began at the Southland Times in 1958. He worked for a variety of papers including the New Zealand Herald, Auckland Star, Dominion Post and Rotorua Daily Post.
He previously said his journalism highlights included covering the Manapouri Power Scheme and a fire at the Te Anau Hotel while his time working at the New Zealand Herald in charge of editorial pages was the "most enjoyable" of his career.

He is survived by wife Judith, children Michele and Michael, and grandchildren Ben and Holly.

A mass will be held for him on Friday at St Mary's Catholic Church in Rotorua at 1pm, followed by a private burial.