Senior Constable Lizzie Woodley being farewelled by her Levin police family on her final journey. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Senior Constable Lizzie Woodley being farewelled by her Levin police family on her final journey. Photo / Nikki Carroll
A well-loved local mum, wife, basketball player and police officer, Lizzie Woodley lost her decade long battle with breast cancer on Saturday, March 19.
Lizzie's life story was shared at a service on Wednesday, March 23 with her rainbow and butterfly painted coffin being carried into the chapel by six of her Levin police colleagues to the song 'Somewhere over the Rainbow'.
Having planned all the details of the farewell herself, Lizzie's service was a wonderful celebration of her life, filled with love and laughter, as well as a few tears, and many memories shared.
A long-time family friend, Gary O'Brien, officiated the service and Senior Sergeant Sarn Paroli spoke on behalf of Lizzie's police family.
The NZ Police flag at half mast in remembrance of a much loved colleague, Senior Constable Lizzie Woodley, who lost her decade long battle with cancer. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Senior Constable Elizabeth Woodley was part of the Levin police station for 18 years, having graduated from the police college on December 11, 2003, at the age of 36.
Lizzie was a valuable member of the Levin police Blue Light committee for a number of years and had a proud and illustrious career as part of the NZ Police women's basketball team.
In 2007 Lizzie became part of the tactical crime unit and spent the best part of a decade helping to make her town and community a safer place to live in.
She also invested a lot of her time in prevention and community building activities.
Lizzie Woodley's flag-draped, rainbow and butterfly painted coffin making its way past the Levin Police Station. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Then in 2010, Lizzie was diagnosed with breast cancer, going through radiation treatment and being given the all-clear by the end of the year.
In 2011 the cancer returned with a vengeance, having metastasised to her bones, however, this diagnosis did not slow Lizzie down at all.
She was actively involved in the Combined Adolescent Challenge Training Unit (CACTUS) programme run at Waiopehu College, and in 2014 was deployed overseas to the Solomon Islands as part of a NZ police contingent.
One of Lizzie's most recent achievements in her police career was recognition through the 2019 Australasian Excellence in Law Enforcement for Women Initiative Award for her part in establishing the Wahine Toa Women of Courage programme in the Horowhenua.
However, the general feeling among Lizzie's police family and the wider community is that her biggest legacy is who she was and how she made the people around her feel.
Lizzie did not judge anyone and treated people with respect no matter what their life story was.
Her colleagues described Lizzie as a hard-working professional, with a mischievous streak as well, always working with a smile on her face, a real inspiration to others - "she will be missed terribly".
Elizabeth Mamie Woodley (Lizzie) 23rd April 1967 – 19th March 2022.
