Tauranga National MP Simon Bridges shares fitting farewell to 87-year-old father

Tauranga National MP Simon Bridges will farewell his father this Saturday. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga National MP Simon Bridges is mourning the loss of his father this week after they shared their last goodbye on Saturday.

Bridges shared the news on his social media accounts that his father, Heath Bridges, had passed away at age 87.

Speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times was honouring one of his father's great passions and Simon said it was a fitting farewell.

"He loved newspapers so much. Every day, it was his religious ritual to read them from cover to cover.

"He was one of the few remaining that reads the obituaries, but he won't get to see his."

To honour his father's greatest pastime, the Bridges family have incorporated torn newspaper, acting as confetti, at his father's service to be held on Saturday.

Ruth and Heath Bridges pictured in their home in 2018. Photo / NZME

Heath grew up in Hamilton, to a plasterer and his teacher mother, Naku Joseph.

Originally an accountant, Heath turned his attention to Christianity following a rally led by prominent evangelical and Southern Baptist minister Billy Graham.

Heath trained as a Baptist minister, which eventually led him to meet his wife, Ruth. At the beginning of this year, the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

"It's a big, big loss for my mum."

The couple had six children and led churches across the country but eventually followed Simon and established their home base in the Bay of Plenty.

"I'll miss all his quirky ways. My dad was a real character and all his various sayings always made us laugh.

"He pushed me into the walk, he always used to say there may be a poor lawyer but he's never met one."

Copy of family photograph (taken in 1986) with Simon Bridges sitting in between his parents on the couch. Photo / File

Simon said his father had great ambitions for all of his children, and all six of them developed strong values of service and community because of him.

At times, the people-oriented man would leave a young Simon embarrassed, he admits.

"It was very awkward growing up but he'd always go up to people and get in their face and talk to them.

"I remember him doing it to Edmund Hillary at the Copper Kettle in Ngātea, sitting down with them while they were eating and I found it very embarrassing but that was just how he kinda was - he liked people."

Simon wanted to thank Tauranga Hospital staff in ward B saying he was "incredibly grateful for the absolutely amazing" treatment.

The silver lining of his fathers passing, Simon said, was the six children, and most of the 20 grandchildren would come together to celebrate Heath's life this Saturday.

The service will be held at 11am, July 10, at Tauranga Central Baptist Church on Cameron Rd.

Yesterday my Dad, Heath, passed away at Tauranga Hospital aged 87. He was a real character. I love you Dad.

Posted by Simon Bridges on Saturday, July 3, 2021