Farewell to a 'real bloke's bloke'

FINAL JOURNEY: Dennis Bowman beginning his final journey, home to Herekino, after yesterday's funeral.

Dennis Earl Bowman was many things, but those who spoke at his funeral yesterday all acknowledged the qualities that they agreed had made him special.

Mr Bowman, who died suddenly on Sunday at the age of 82, was a "real bloke's bloke," according to fellow Northland regional councillor Joe Carr, a quality that he had taken to the regional council, and before that to the Far North District Council.

"He saw the world through a young man's eyes, and worked hard to make it a place where people could live and work," he said.

He served you (Kaitaia) with loyalty and passion. His community came second only to his family."

Mr Bowman, who was taken ill on Friday, was taken home to Herekino, where he was born in 1932, for interment after yesterday's funeral at Te Ahu. One of three children, he left school early to work on the family farm, spending the rest of his life excelling as a farmer, a contractor, a bus company owner, husband to Elaine and father of three, and for the last 19 years a local government politician.

Peter Wiessing, who as a regional council officer worked with Mr Bowman but remembered him as a longstanding friend, described him as "Te Hiku through and through." He had entered local government to serve the ratepayers, not the councils. He had had the ability get the best out of people, he saw the good in people, and he had strived to get on with everyone.

Never short of a story, he had also had the capacity to make as much noise when he was asleep as he did when he was awake. His dogs were probably the best cared for in the country, he took justified pride in the quality of what he produced in his farm and in his garden, and was a firm believer that not only should he be in charge, but that one could never have enough Indians. "He always under-promised and over-delivered," Mr Wiessing added, while his hard work, family values and engagement with the community had left a legacy that would be carried on by his wife, his children and grandchildren.

District councillor Colin Kitchen said Mr Bowman had entered local government at a time in his life when he was entitled to be thinking about retirement. He went on to serve five terms as a district councillor, one as chairman of Te Hiku Community Board, and last year was elected to the regional council.

He had always fought hard for Te Hiku's share of council spending, championed the retention of Kaitaia's airport, and made significant contributions in the fields of drainage, flood mitigation, waste disposal, and the sourcing of a new water supply for Kaitaia.

Fellow regional councillor Dover Samuels confessed to finding a tear in his eye the day before, when Mr Bowman's chair had sat empty at a council meeting. He, Mr Samuels and Mr Carr had formed what Mr Bowman had referred to as the Far North front row, and had sat together so they could keep an eye on "those buggers" from Whangarei. "He was a good man, a good leader, a man who crossed the divide between Maori and Pakeha," Mr Samuels added.