Peter Dalziel was well known throughout the district for his friendly nature and fantastic business acumen, combined with his passion for helping his community.
Peter Dalziel was well known throughout the district for his friendly nature and fantastic business acumen, combined with his passion for helping his community.
Peter Seymour Dalziel: 12.1.1951 - 7.8.2023.
Peter Dalziel, who died last month, was farewelled by family, friends and colleagues at a celebration of life service at Stratford’s War Memorial Centre on Friday, August 11.
The service, conducted by Vicky Machon, was an opportunity for all present to recognise the “amazing legacy” Peter had left, she said.
Peter was born in 1951 and grew up in Turakina, showing his incredible drive and work ethic early on in life, setting up a lawnmowing business while he was still at school. During school holidays, as well as mowing various lawns in the community, including the St Andrews Church ones, he worked on local farms, drenching, dagging, harrowing and picking up hay and driving a tractor.
He was also a keen cub and scout, spending many days and nights camping, whitebaiting and fishing at the Turakina Beach, sometimes using a rod or a net, and other times his dad’s surfski.
Peter spent his high school years at Whanganui Boys College, before moving to Palmerston North where he began his banking career, working for Westpac Bank.
Not long after leaving school, he went on a blind date that really did change his life. That date was with Margaret Bartlett - known to all as Marg.
After what was clearly a very successful blind date - set up by one of Marg’s colleagues at NZ Post in Palmerston North - the young couple got married in 1972 in Hunterville.
The couple then lived in various towns and cities around New Zealand, including Bulls, Napier and Wellington, each move made as part of Peter’s banking career.
First comes love, then comes marriage, and then came two sons for Peter and Marg: Scott and Kent.
Peter Dalziel with his beloved family.
The family moved to Auckland in 1982 where Peter continued working in the banking industry and the two boys attended school. While the boys were focused on their own studies, Peter also returned to study, completing diplomas in banking and business as well as completing an MBA at the University of Auckland.
In the 1990s, Peter was given an opportunity to work in Sydney, so he and Marg moved there for 10 years. It was always their long-term plan, however, to live in rural New Zealand, and in 2004 they purchased a block of land in Stratford, which would eventually become home to their business, Dolly’s Milk.
Peter swapped banking for milking and was soon well known in Stratford, and further afield, for his friendly and kind nature, and his willingness to talk for hours, building connections and making friends.
Dolly’s Milk, and Pete and Marg, quickly became an integral part of the Stratford community, and Marg says the community immediately felt like home. Both Pete and Marg felt really welcomed to the district, and enjoyed getting to know the town that would become their permanent home.
Marg says Peter was in his element at Dolly’s Milk, and she has been moved by the support received both during Peter’s illness and in the days and weeks since his funeral.
Peter was never one to be idle, and on moving to Stratford soon got involved with various organisations in the community which benefited greatly from his financial expertise, wisdom, experience and passion for his community.
Over the years Peter has served on a wide range of boards, including the Stratford Business Association and Tutaki Youth, and as a director of the Toi Foundation and TSB Bank.
In 2013 Peter was elected to serve as a councillor for Stratford District Council and served a total of three consecutive terms. In his time on the council, Peter became a strong and vocal advocate for the introduction of a Māori ward, saying “it’s good for Māori and it’s good for Stratford”. He was delighted when, in May 2021 the decision was made to introduce a Māori ward in time for the 2022 election. Peter himself did not stand for re-election last year, as by then his battle with cancer was well underway.
That battle was undoubtedly a very tough one, but Peter remained his jovial, friendly self with all who spent time with him. Always a family-focused person, Peter enjoyed spending lots of time with his beloved wife Marg, their sons Scott and Kent, their daughters-in-law Leslie and Devie, and their four grandchildren, Mac, Skye, Hudson and Isla.
All four grandchildren spoke movingly at Pete’s funeral, each sharing special memories of the grandfather who was always present for them - watching from the sidelines at their sports games, proudly seated in the audience at their dance performances, and always ready to share a story and a hug.
He was, said Marg, the very best. The best husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, businessman, councillor, colleague and friend.
