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'Rare human': Tributes flow for tireless 'community champion'

Author
Bay of Plenty Times,
Publish Date
Mon, 1 Apr 2024, 2:59pm
Tributes are flowing for Western Bay of Plenty councillor Richard Crawford who passed away on Sunday. Photo / Talia Parker
Tributes are flowing for Western Bay of Plenty councillor Richard Crawford who passed away on Sunday. Photo / Talia Parker

'Rare human': Tributes flow for tireless 'community champion'

Author
Bay of Plenty Times,
Publish Date
Mon, 1 Apr 2024, 2:59pm

Tributes are flowing for Bay of Plenty 鈥渃ommunity champion鈥� and 鈥渞are human鈥� Richard Crawford, who died after suffering a heart attack while biking in Rotorua.

The Maket奴-Te Puke councillor and former Te Puke Community Board leader passed away Sunday morning after the medical incident on Saturday, Western Bay of Plenty District Council said in a statement.

Chairwoman of Te Puke Community Board Kassie Ellis described the former Te Puke volunteer firefighter as the 鈥渆pitome of a community champion鈥� and 鈥渢ireless in wanting the best for his town鈥�.

Ellis said 鈥渘othing was impossible鈥� for Crawford, that he never gave up on his mission to 鈥渓eave this world a better place鈥�.

鈥淩ichie, it鈥檚 been a privilege. For now, goodbye to our strong leader, community navigator, empathetic listener and friend.鈥�

Maket奴-Te Puke councillor Grant Dally said Crawford would be remembered as a 鈥渞are human鈥� who cared about those less fortunate.

鈥淭he difference was, he got on, did the mahi, mustered people, and created organisations to satisfy needs in the community 鈥� and was very successful at it.鈥�

Richard Crawford served a term on the Te Puke Community Board as chairman.
Richard Crawford served a term on the Te Puke Community Board as chairman.

Dally said he met the recreational cyclist in 2012 while working on what would become the popular Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway.

Dally nominated Crawford for Te Puke Community Board in 2019. Crawford served his term as chairman before being elected a district councillor in 2022, and had 鈥渞eally found his confidence and voice in the role鈥�.

Dally described him as an empathetic, inclusive leader keen to forge better relationships with mana whenua and ethnic communities.

鈥淲e will miss him.鈥�

The Daily Charitable Trust general manager Chrissi Robinson said chairman Crawford was a visionary for the birth 10 years ago of the organisation, which runs Te Puke鈥檚 award-winning social enterprise The Daily Cafe among other initiatives.

The Daily Cafe trustees, from left, Marty and Chrissi Robinson, Andrew Reid and Richard Crawford in 2018. Photo / Stuart Whitaker
The Daily Cafe trustees, from left, Marty and Chrissi Robinson, Andrew Reid and Richard Crawford in 2018. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

She described him as generous, positive and as comfortable making high-level trust decisions as he was 鈥済rabbing a tool from the ute to do some maintenance鈥�.

Robinson said he 鈥済enuinely loved people鈥� and was the trust鈥檚 鈥渟chmoozer鈥�, showing endless energy as he took on more challenges in his 60s.

She said he spoke of two passions driving his work with the charity: A desire to leave the town he loved 鈥渂etter than [he] found it鈥�, and his faith and deep personal friendship with Jesus, which she believed he would have wanted other people to know.

Te Puke Community Board members, from left, Tupaea Rolleston, Kassie Ellis, Richard Crawford (chairman) councillor Monique Gray, councillor Grant Dally and Dale Snell.
Te Puke Community Board members, from left, Tupaea Rolleston, Kassie Ellis, Richard Crawford (chairman) councillor Monique Gray, councillor Grant Dally and Dale Snell.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he held 鈥済reat respect and admiration鈥� for Crawford, and his passing was a great loss for his wh膩nau and the community.

McClay said they often spoke about council matters and he would 鈥渄eeply miss those conversations and his friendship鈥�.

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said Crawford was a 鈥渇antastic鈥� community leader with 鈥渁 strong desire to make a positive impact on others鈥�.

Death a 鈥榟uge shock鈥�

Councillors and community board members are 鈥渟hattered鈥� by news of their 鈥渉ugely respected鈥� colleague鈥檚 death, Western Bay Mayor James Denyer said on Sunday.

鈥淭he news of his death is a huge shock, and his passing will be felt keenly by his [council] colleagues 鈥� and in the wider Te Puke community.

Richard Crawford served as a volunteer firefighter in Te Puke for almost 14 years.
Richard Crawford served as a volunteer firefighter in Te Puke for almost 14 years.

鈥淗is contribution at council and previously on the Te Puke Community Board was significant and his commitment to community organisations in Te Puke was much valued,鈥� Denyer said.

On behalf of the council, Denyer expressed his deepest sympathies to Richard鈥檚 wife, Julie, and his family and friends.

鈥橠evastated鈥� and 鈥榞utted鈥�

Former Maket奴 Community Board chairman Shane Beech told the Bay of Plenty Times he was devasted by the loss of his close friend.

鈥淗e was such an incredible man who was very caring for the community, and got behind lots of organisations,鈥� said Beech, who ran for a Maket奴-Te Puke seat in 2022 but withdrew during the race after a heart attack.

鈥淗e was always there at the end of the phone and we had lots of good times.鈥�

Te Puke fire chief Dale Lindsay said Crawford joined the fire service a few years after arriving in Te Puke and served just shy of 14 years as a qualified firefighter before stepping down in recent years as his council commitments grew.

Richard Crawford has been remembered as a community champion. Photo / Alex Cairns
Richard Crawford has been remembered as a community champion. Photo / Alex Cairns

鈥淲e are all just gutted and devastated. He was an integral part of our brigade.鈥�

The station flag was flying at half mast and people had placed tributes at the base of the bell tower, he said.

鈥淗e did so much for the community all the time. He was a master networker 鈥� he would go into a room full of strangers and walk around and start talking to people.鈥�

Lindsay said he was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥� to hear of Crawford鈥檚 death, especially as he led such a 鈥渇it and healthy lifestyle鈥�.

鈥淗e was the last person we thought we would be saying goodbye to.鈥�

Western Bay of Plenty Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour said Crawford was 鈥渙ne of those solid, reliable people always wanting to do something for the community鈥�.

He said Crawford was a builder by trade and had his own construction company.

How to spot a heart attack

If you or a person you know are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack below, call 111 immediately.

Pain 鈥� which may feel like pressure, squeezing or a burning sensation across the front of your chest. It may spread to your neck, shoulder, jaw, back, upper abdomen or either arm. It may last more than a few minutes.

Palpitations (when your heartbeat is unusually strong, fast or uneven).

Fainting, dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting or shortness of breath.

Note: It鈥檚 important to know that not everyone having a heart attack gets chest pain.

They may have only neck, jaw, ear, arm or upper abdominal discomfort.

Some people complain only of shortness of breath, severe weakness, light-headedness, sweating, or nausea and vomiting.

Older people may just seem to be more confused and not complain of pain at all.

- Source: Ministry of Health

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