Friends gather to farewell Far North journalist

Bob Molloy with daughters Kate (left) and Amy with the Rainbow Warrior at Whangaroa in 1987, just hours before the bombed Greenpeace flagship was scuttled off Matauri Bay. Photo / Supplied

The Far North journalist, newspaper owner, history buff and legendary debater Bob Molloy has died aged 85.

More than 150 friends and family members attended a celebration of his life at Kerikeri's Kingston House on Friday.

Mr Molloy was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1929. He trained as an electrical apprentice then travelled to Namibia, in southern Africa, to work in the mines.

There he discovered a life-long passion for words, writing first for a local newspaper and later for The Cape Times.

He studied psychology at Cape University in South Africa but couldn't keep away from journalism. He met his second wife, Keri, when they were reporters for rival newspapers, and made his name with stories on pioneering South African heart surgeon Christiaan Barnard.

The two became firm friends with Mr Barnard visiting Mr Molloy in the 1980s after the couple moved to New Zealand and bought a share in the Kaikohe-based Northern News. The Molloys also part-owned the The Bay Bugle and The Kerikeri Chronicle, which later merged to become The Bay Chronicle. Although they sold their stake in the newspapers Mrs Molloy remained editor of the Chronicle until last year.

Mr Molloy championed many causes in his Kerikeri years, including helping to establish Hospice in the Mid North, preserving Kingston House as a community asset, protecting the Stone Store area from development, trying to save the town's memorial hall, and establishing a "crimson trail" of pohutukawa from Kerikeri to Kaikohe.

He became an expert on local history and penned several books. His last, Colossus Unsung from 2011, told the story of Kerikeri founding father ES Little.

Long-time friend John Putt said: "Bob's love of words governed his life, and survives his passing."

Mr Molloy died on May 31. He is survived by Keri, three children from his first marriage, daughters Kate and Amy from his second, and eight grandchildren.