With the death of Tracey Nikora our district has lost an amazing woman, Tararua District mayor Roly Ellis says.
Tracey, the council's waste and recycling co-ordinator and volunteer firefighter, passed away this week from complications while battling cancer.
"Tracey's whanau, the Tararua District Council and Dannevirke have lost an amazing woman, whose tenacious outlook on life kept her and her family going through the last months of an exceptional life," Mr Ellis said. "We have lost a vivacious, hard working and totally committed lady who will be sorely missed.
"Tracey came to council without much knowledge of how life worked in the waste department, but within months had put her stake in the ground with both waste, recycling and the rural fire departments. She immediately became a person who would put her hand up to help anyone out, with a great smile on her face and always full of fun.
"Whether travelling throughout the Tararua to see that the recycling bins were cleared or arriving at a rural fire to help out, Tracey could be relied upon to be there," he said. "She was also instrumental in the building of the new transfer stations and mapping how they would be run.
