Bobbie Carroll, 69, was well-known in the Piha community and was one of five advocates who spoke publicly for the Act Party’s End of Life Choice bill before it came into force in 2021.
Tributes are flowing from friends and community members who describe the outspoken campaigner as someone who always fought for the rights of others.
Piha Local Jenene Crossan alerted the community to Carroll’s passing in a heartfelt post on the local Facebook page.
“With B, you got her unfiltered thoughts, and she’d readily roll up her sleeves to stand up for anyone if you asked her to,” Crossan wrote.
“She has served as an advocate, a supporter, a warrior, and an activist. She’s been a pillar of our community, providing shelter, love, wisdom, and care to many, without discrimination.”
Crossan said Piha would not be the same without Carroll.
“It will be permanently transformed - slightly less steadfast, somewhat less vibrant, somewhat less...unique. That’s what Bobbie embodied, uniqueness.”
Another local said Carroll was vibrant and colourful and “never minced her words.”
“Bobbie was definitely never one to hold back on matters that were important to her but she did everything with love.
“She put everything into helping others and was such a uniting force in the community.”
Other community members were quick to pay tribute to Carroll, describing her as “an absolute legend” and “Battler to the end”.
Others promised to look out for Carroll’s long-term partner Julia Woodhouse.
Bobbie Carroll, left, pictured with long-term partner Julia Woodhouse. Photo / Jenene Crossan
Carroll and Woodhouse became known around New Zealand after they found a distressed Iraena Asher on the roadside and gave her a room for the night.
The couple were cleared of any wrongdoing in a High Court decision after criticism they had not called police on discovering Asher had left their home.
Asher, who was last seen on Piha beach, was never found and is presumed drowned.
Since then Carroll became better known as an advocate for cancer sufferers after her own diagnosis of blood cancer.
In February this year, despite being gravely ill, Carroll campaigned for cancer drugs sent by courier to patients to be labelled as urgent medical supplies so they were given high importance.
The call came after her own supply of life-saving chemotherapy drugs went missing in the post when roads were closed during Cyclone Gabrielle.
At the time Carroll told the Herald a recent MRI revealed more holes in her bones from the cancer.
“It is a terrible bone-munching cancer. Mine is treatable with chemotherapy but it is terminal,” Carroll said in February.
“The only good thing in all of this is that we now have euthanasia. That takes the scary thought of ‘how I am going to die’ and ‘what will my death be like’ away.”
In that interview, Carroll said the Piha community had supported her and brought her fresh ginger and food when she was ill.
She said after the cyclone the community had united and looked after each other - especially the younger generation.
