Dame Thea: Good friend who liked a chat

MEMORIES: Greytown man Gray Nelson who had many dealings with Dame Thea Muldoon and her prime minister husband Sir Robert Muldoon.PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

The death this week of Dame Thea Muldoon, 87, brought back many memories for retired Greytown man Gray Nelson.

Mr Nelson, 88, was private secretary to five prime ministers including the feisty Sir Rob Muldoon, a job that involved working alongside their wives, often being a confidante.

From his Greytown home yesterday Mr Nelson said he had worked for Muldoon from 1975 until taking a posting at the New Zealand High Commission in London in 1978.

He remembers her as being "very talkative" and the two had become quite good friends.

"It was sad to learn of her death.

"She was a very loyal wife to a man who it was sometimes very hard to be loyal to.

"But I have to say Muldoon would never hear a word against Thea.

"In his eyes she was always right."

Mr Nelson said he remembers an occasion after Muldoon had retired from politics.

"It was at the unveiling of a statue to Sir Keith Holyoake in Wellington.

"Afterwards Thea grabbed me and we got talking on the street while Muldoon sat impatiently in his car a short distance away.

"Finally he yelled out to her "come on Thea, come on".

Mr Nelson said while he had fond memories of Dame Thea his favourite prime minister's wife to work for was Glen Rowling followed by Norma Holyoake.

Mrs Holyoake, he said, was a great talker.

"Any time you got talking to her you knew it would be at least half an hour before you could get away.

"I knew more about the lives of the VIP ladies in Wellington than just about anyone else."

Mr Nelson said he would not be taking the trip to Auckland to attend a funeral service for Dame Thea on Tuesday.