Murdered father farewelled

Nicola Waite, former wife of Trevor Waite, comforts her daughter Kelsey at the funeral. Kelsey discovered the bodies. Photo / Greg Bowker

Hundreds of mourners yesterday farewelled Trevor Waite, the man gunned down alongside Glenys Stanton near Papakura last weekend.

Mr Waite, 51, and Ms Stanton, 47, were shot multiple times in his Opaheke home.

Mr Waite's daughter Kelsey, 18, found them on Sunday.

Kelsey, her two siblings, and Mr Waite's former wife Nicola were among those at the funeral in Papatoetoe.

Mr Waite's flower-covered casket remained in a hearse outside the chapel at Manukau Memorial Gardens while friends and family filled the large room.

Dozens of people who could not fit into the chapel stood outside in the wet and cold weather to hear the service. One person, who did not want to be identified, said the manner of Mr Waite's death was not mentioned during the service.

His three children gave tearful speeches about their father, along with other members of his family, work colleagues and a member of his cricket team.

Police officers, including the officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Inspector Dave Lynch, also attended.

Family members released balloons into the sky to mark the end of the service.

Trevor Waite

The funeral director handed out an order of service with a picture on the front of Mr Waite smiling with a beer in his hand.

Inside was a poem, "The Measure of Man".

It read: "The measure of a man is determined not by his show of strength or the volume of his voice or the thunder of his actions or of his intellect or academic abilities.

"It is seen rather in terms of the love that he has for his family and for everyone, the strength of his commitments and the genuineness of his friendships, the sincerity of his purpose, the quiet courage of his convictions."

Media were asked to remain outside.

Ms Stanton's former boyfriend John Mowatt, 51, died in Woodhill Forest near Helensville on Wednesday morning.

Police had been trying to speak to him about the double murder. Officers found his body moments after hearing a gunshot.