Te Kauwhata resident Bob Moorfield pictured in 2016, aged 103. Photo / Doug Sherring
Much loved and respected Waikato centenarian, Bob Moorfield, has died at the ripe old age of 107.
The Te Kauwhata resident died peacefully on Tuesday, August 11, in the family home he had lived in since he was a boy and on the street that bears his name: Moorfield Rd.
"He's had a good innings, Dad has," youngest son Warren Moorfield, 71, said.
"I was with him. I was holding his hand and my sister was in the sitting room - I just said: 'Oh, I think he's passed'."
Their father had never wanted to live in a rest home and enjoyed living independently; waking up at the crack of dawn every day and cooking his main meal - meat and vegetables - at lunchtime.
In the past seven or eight weeks, however, he had become unwell and had started to communicate using only sign language.
Bob Moorfield - full name Robert Peter Moorfield - was born on November 11, 1912, the same year the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic in April.
He was the only child of Cornelius and Edith Moorfield, who moved to the area when their son was still very young in the early 20th century.
Moorfield has long been a well-known face in the district - regularly getting around in his car and hugely proud of the fact that he was the oldest driver in New Zealand.
He had been driving right up until earlier this year, when the country suddenly went into lockdown when Covid-19 reached our shores.
During the first lockdown in March, the centenarian insisted he go into lockdown on his own - despite family members suggesting that someone stay with him.
Speaking to the Herald at the time, he said cheerfully: "I'm doing alright.
"Everything's going well, I suppose. And I've got Warren next door, so can breathe down his neck if I need to," he chuckled.
He would not know about this second lockdown; as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's shock announcement would come later the night he died.
Warren Moorfield said that news would also mean plans for a big funeral were suddenly off the table.
"We'd arranged it that day and put it in the paper and then that happened."
Another family notice was later published to let the public know that due to Covid-19 restrictions, only relatives would be allowed at his final farewell.
Warren said although they had all been expecting the inevitable, he still caught himself forgetting.
"I used to check on him every day for about 20 years because I live next-door.
"I just miss that now. I'll say: 'I'm going over to see Dad - oh, he's not there now. I miss him that way."
Bob Moorfield was buried in Rangiriri Cemetery with wife Moya Ella and eldest son, Professor John Moorfield.
The internet entrepreneur shared news of his health setback to social media.