Murray Moon was the owner of the Omokoroa Beach Store for 23 years and was well known in the Western Bay seaside community. Photo / Supplied
Murray William Roger Moon (September 17, 1950 – May 31, 2018)
With death came new life for the Moon family of Ōmokoroa.
Murray Moon was a familiar and friendly face in the Western Bay seaside community.
You could almost always find him at the Omokoroa Beach Store where, for 23 years, he greeted his customers by name and employed hundreds of local kids in their first after-school jobs.
Murray died at home late last month, surrounded by whānau. He was 67.
The next day, his fourth grandchild Charlie was born.
"My sister was having contractions while dad was having his last breaths," Murray's eldest son Watene told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend this week.
He said his dad was known for his kindness and generosity in the community.
Locals would often hang around the store after buying something – just for a chat.
"Through the store, he sponsored many community events both in Ōmokoroa and on Matakana Island," Watene said.
That included the annual New Year's Day touch tournament on the island, as well as events at the Omokoroa Boat Club and Omokoroa Golf Club.
Watene said his dad watched many Matakana Island tamariki and mokopuna grow up and would often inquire about them when people passed through the store.
"We were the last port of call before heading to the island. He was a community man. People would tell him many things and dad was a trustworthy ear.
"He was a constant in what has become an area of change and development."
Murray William Roger Moon was born on September 17, 1950 in Auckland.
His parents, Minnie and Ernest, had seven children (four boys and three girls) and Murray was the second youngest.
The family suffered two tragedies early on in Murray's life – his brother Kelvin died at the age of 8 and his dad Ernest died just a year later.
A few years ago, while doing some research for a family tree, Murray wrote about his childhood and his early school years in Auckland.
"One of my early memories was having several friends and family around for my fifth birthday," he said. "Mum gave me my first tricycle. I was very excited."
He also reminisced about playing marbles with the neighbours across the road in Papatoetoe – how they would always fleece him and how his brother, Malcolm, would come to the rescue and win them all back.
The Moon family then moved to Judea and that was where Murray mostly grew up.
He went to Tauranga Primary School, Tauranga Intermediate School and Tauranga Boys' College, before starting work at a supermarket on Cameron Rd.
"After a year there, I decided to spread my wings," Murray wrote for the family tree.
He travelled around New Zealand doing different jobs before eventually moving to Whakatāne – a decision that would change his life forever.
Murray was in Whakatane Hospital with a severe neck injury from rugby when he met Margaret Pahuru, a nurse from Ōpōtiki.
They got married on May 5, 1979 and would go on to have three children together – Watene, Nadia and Renee.
The family spent some time living in Alice Springs, Australia, where they bought and ran a taxi business.
Murray later worked for Northern Territory Correctional Services for many years and was stationed at a jail in Alice Springs.
After 10 years in Alice Springs, the Moons moved back to Tauranga. They bought the family home in Judea after Murray's mum Minnie died.
They then lived in Otūmoetai before buying the Omokoroa Beach Store with Murray's sister Colleen in 1992.
The store was very much a family affair. Murray's older brother Robin was part-owner for several years and his younger sister Maree also worked there.
"Looking back on it, the shop was such a huge central point in our lives as a young family," Watene said.
"I was 14 when we bought it, Nadia was 9 and Renee was around 6. It provided us all with jobs and the skills that that brings. I've worked in service ever since."
In July 2015, the Moon family sold the store and Murray and Margaret built a home in Ōmokoroa and retired.
Murray loved fishing and sailing with friends and would go white baiting once a year at his sister Dorothy's farm on the West Coast of the North Island.
He also loved horse racing and was a member of many different syndicates over the years.
Murray went to the Omokoroa Boat Club every Saturday to place his bets, and was also there on Thursdays and Sundays for a beer with his mates. He was a long-time member of the club.
Watene said his dad was always supportive, especially with education.
"He always wanted the best for us and for us to have more than he had growing up."
Murray was farewelled at Omokoroa Community Church on June 2.
He is survived by his wife, three children and four grandchildren.