Community farewells Hawke's Bay centenarian Robert Logan

Louise Pomare with her father Robert Logan, on his 100th birthday party at Westshore in February this year. Photo / File.

OBITUARY: Robert (Bob) Logan's family told him he wasn't allowed to leave until after his 100th birthday, so he made it that far just for them.

A much loved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Logan peacefully passed away earlier this month, his family by his side.

"Half of Hawke's Bay" attended his 100th birthday celebration in February and his funeral wasn't much different, with a large crowd spilling from St Andrew's Anglican Church on April 2 to celebrate his life.

At the age of 18 he volunteered to join the army to fight for his country in World War II.

He sailed to Egypt where he fought with other New Zealand troops and was one of few Kiwis to witness the surrender of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's troops in North Africa in 1943. Rommel, otherwise known as the "Desert Fox", had returned to Europe by that time.

He returned to New Zealand due to shell-shock, never going back to war.

His daughter Louise Pomare said Logan, along with his beloved wife Hiraani, lived to serve the community.

The couple met when they were teenagers, with Logan spotting her at a golf course off Marine Parade in Napier.

Devoted couple Robert and Hiraani Logan who met when they were teenagers. Photo / File.

"She was with her cousins playing golf and he saw her, went up and made a nuisance of himself. He found out where she lived out at Haumoana and tracked her down and the rest is history," Pomare said.

They were married for 74 years and ran a farm out near Kereru. The land had been purchased by Logan's father, Frank, in 1912, and developed over the next half-century despite the advent of two world wars, the Hawke's Bay earthquake and the Great Depression.

Retirement wasn't a word in Logan's dictionary and after moving to Westshore he worked as an SPCA inspector, travelling around the Hawke's Bay community.

He was also involved in the Civil Defence and did charity work for Princess Alexandra Hospital, which is now a retirement village.

"He would mow the lawns and mum would do all the flowers. He did meals on wheels and they were also involved in fundraising for a children's home - Hohepa home, so they kept themselves very busy."

Logan was naturally humble and disciplined, making the most of each day right up until his passing.

"It was up until two years ago he would always go for a swim in the sea and would go for a walk right around the beach.

"He didn't walk about much after a while, so his ritual was to watch the sea instead."