Double tragedy for family

Kelly Weeds was trying to beat his dad's spearfishing record when he was called in to help search for a missing diver on Sunday.

He and his father, Kerikeri resident Garry Weeds, were enjoying a boys' weekend at Doubtless Bay near Karikari Peninsula.

Garry Weeds, 65, was diving for crayfish while Kelly was competing in a spearfishing contest.

But the weekend ended in tragedy when Kelly realised that the missing man, who was later found drowned, was his father.

It was the second shock to hit the family in less than two weeks. Garry's wife of 43 years, Annette, had died from an Alzheimers-related condition on February 24.

Yesterday, Kelly paid tribute to his parents, who lived life to the full and could never find enough hours in the day. Annette Weeds, 70, completed a half-marathon last December - a month before moving into care - and Garry Weeds was a top spearfisher and community organiser.

Locals will remember Mr and Mrs Weeds as the couple who pounded the pavements every morning and were dedicated teachers at the local high school and primary school.

"As teachers, they saw the potential in everybody," Kelly said.

They raised their sons Kelly, 37, and Zuben, 35, in Kerikeri and also had a 10-year stint in the Waikato when Garry Weeds was principal of Melville Intermediate School.

Garry Weeds is known as the man who set a New Zealand record in 1968 for spearing the largest kingfish the picture takes pride of place in Kelly's Bay of Islands dive shop.

As a Far North district councillor, Garry Weeds helped move the former Navy frigate Canterbury to the North.

He loved the area and would never turn away a phone call from a concerned resident, no matter what the hour, Kelly said.

Garry Weeds was a much-admired geography teacher at Kerikeri High School, a successful 1st XV rugby coach and was named Waikato netball coach of the year in 2001.

He taught Kelly to dive when he was 7, and his granddaughters Nyena, 9, and Leia, 6, were also looking forward to learning from their granddad.

Garry's longest-standing friends said the world was his oyster, and he was eating them by the dozen.

"There was never enough time in the day," Kelly said.

Garry and Annette Weeds were proud of their family Zuben has a PhD and works at Waikato University and Kelly is a fulltime dive instructor.

Annette taught at Kerikeri Primary School, and she and Garry retired in 2003.

She had completed the Kerikeri half-marathon four times, twice running and twice walking, and travelled to China with the intention of running the Great Wall Marathon, but it was cancelled, so she toured the country instead.

A celebration of Garry Weeds' life is to be held today at the Kerikeri RSA Club, where his father Keith is a patron. "My dad would not like to make a fuss," Kelly said, "but I have a feeling a fuss will be made of him."