Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

'Mother of Flaxmere' Pam O'Keefe dies after battle with illness

Hawkes Bay Today
6 Sep, 2020 04:01 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Pam O'Keefe was considered by many residents as the "Mother of Flaxmere". Photo / File

Pam O'Keefe was considered by many residents as the "Mother of Flaxmere". Photo / File

The "mother of Flaxmere" Pam O'Keefe has died.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst on Sunday led the tributes to Pam who, along with her husband Hastings councillor Henare O'Keefe, became an agent for change in Hastings' most challenged suburb.

A passionate community member, a loving wife of Henare, Pam, who had been fighting illness in recent times, became an adored mum to many children, including hundreds of foster kids.

"The loss is devastating for her whanau, the Flaxmere community and the wider Hastings district," Hazlehurst said.

"She was loved by many people for her caring nature and humbleness - she never judged anyone and accepted everyone for who they were.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"She was a passionate leader in the Flaxmere community who worked tirelessly in the background at many events at Te Aranga Marae, cooking food on Tunutunu for the community at council events and supporting so many young people at the Flaxmere Boxing Academy.

"She was very proud to stand alongside Henare as a true leader and she never expected any accolades or awards.

"Because of that, we are thankful we had the opportunity to award Pam a Hastings District Civic Honour a few years ago for her dedication to the community. "

Pam O'Keefe did a lot of background work at various community events and groups and supported many young people at the Flaxmere Boxing Academy. Photo / File
Pam O'Keefe did a lot of background work at various community events and groups and supported many young people at the Flaxmere Boxing Academy. Photo / File

In 2017 Pam was also presented with the Kiwibank Local Heroes Award for her work with families as an administrator Te Aranga Marae, a member of the Kai Collective Food Bank and a vital part of the Flaxmere Boxing Academy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Considered by many Flaxmere residents as the "Mother of Flaxmere", Pam's incredibly caring and empathetic nature enabled her to foster more than 200 children over 30 years and help reintegrate prison inmates back into the community.

"Her death will leave an enormous hole to everyone, young and old," Hazlehurst said.

Long-time friend and former colleague of Henare, Lawrence Yule, said Pam was a "tower of strength" for Henare and would quietly work in the background.

"She would be up all night cooking for people and was a fundamental part in fostering all those children.

Discover more

Lifestyle

Bar apologises after staff member's '**** off' response to drag queens

06 Sep 05:22 PM

"That couple was a very special couple and their love for each other and other people is immense.

"I probably haven't come across a couple in my life who have given so much to so many," he said.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

'Amazing achievements': Hawke's Bay Export Awards finalists announced

07 Jul 04:25 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

‘He’s smooth. He’s a practised thief’: Former club CEO had a secret criminal past

07 Jul 04:10 AM
Hawkes Bay Today

One lane reopens after diesel spill on Napier-Taupō road

07 Jul 04:03 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

'Amazing achievements': Hawke's Bay Export Awards finalists announced

'Amazing achievements': Hawke's Bay Export Awards finalists announced

07 Jul 04:25 AM

The winners will be celebrated at Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre on July 31.

‘He’s smooth. He’s a practised thief’: Former club CEO had a secret criminal past

‘He’s smooth. He’s a practised thief’: Former club CEO had a secret criminal past

07 Jul 04:10 AM
One lane reopens after diesel spill on Napier-Taupō road

One lane reopens after diesel spill on Napier-Taupō road

07 Jul 04:03 AM
'Massive cleanup': Fire damages Napier cocktail bar just months after opening

'Massive cleanup': Fire damages Napier cocktail bar just months after opening

07 Jul 04:03 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP