Jill Stansfield made elderly valued and more

Jill Stansfield did extensive work with the aged community. Photo / Cloe Willetts

In each community, there are people who go above and beyond to help others. Jill Stansfield was one.

Stansfield, 85, from Paraparaumu, passed away peacefully at Wellington Hospital this month.

In her retirement years especially, Stansfield had been an active and devoted supporter of the Kāpiti community, especially advocating for the elderly.

She addressed the Kāpiti Coast District Council regularly, was a key figure on the Older Persons Council, and wrote a regular column in the Kāpiti News.

“I think what drove her was that older people had to be valued and you could get a better quality of life for them,” her daughter Linda Harrison said.

Stansfield grew up in Waipukurau, and was the oldest of four children, to parents Harry and Joan Stott.

Becoming a school teacher was top of her career list so she trained at Wellington Teachers’ Training College before teaching jobs in Hawke’s Bay.

When she wasn’t teaching or raising her family, she loved playing sports, tramping in the hills or creating art and craft works.

She used to put together these most elaborate itineraries on trains, buses, and ferries, and get the oldies out.

Linda Harrison

She married Ian Stansfield, who she later separated from, in the 1950s and they had two children, Chris and Linda, in 1960 and 1962 respectively.

Stansfield was a working mother who raised her children and taught at Hukarere Girls’ College, Taradale Primary School, Taradale Intermediate School and Parkvale Primary School.

After the couple separated, Jill moved to Havelock North, and whenever there were school holidays, and she had the chance, she loved to travel.

“She travelled all around the world and mostly on her own,” Linda said.

“Including one stint, with a folding bicycle, in Europe.”

Stansfield retired to the Kāpiti Coast, to be closer to family, and became heavily involved in the community advocating for the elderly.

She was always well-prepared because of her penchant for research and detail.

Various presentations, submissions, reports, and so on, were carefully written and presented with a sense of purpose.

“She really wanted to improve the lives of older people because she didn’t think everyone necessarily valued what older people had to contribute.

“You shouldn’t be left to vegetate when you’re old.

Jill Stansfield was a strong advocate for the elderly.

“She not only wrote strategies about that but she tried to get people out and about.”

For example, she would see what transport options were free for SuperGold Card holders.

“She used to put together these most elaborate itineraries on trains, buses, and ferries, and get the oldies out.

“Just imagine a school trip, out of a rest home, with Jill as the leader.”

Stansfield also felt councils had a responsibility to provide for its elderly population a bit better than they were.

She would keep a sharp eye on community happenings to make sure the elderly were being thought about.

Often it was simple things such as ensuring a new bus shelter seat was at the right height for the elderly to get up and down easily.

Stansfield, who was very generous with her time, proved that with the right mindset and application, positive change could happen.

“She certainly taught my brother and I that you could do anything in life if you set your mind to it.”

A celebration of Jill Stansfield’s life will be held in the Summerset on the Coast’s leisure centre, Paraparaumu, on Wednesday, July 5, from 9.30am.