Tribute to Lex Wylie
NZTRI was saddened to learn of the passing of Lex Wylie. Lex was the founding chairperson and a driving force behind the Western Southland Promotions Association who partnered with NZTRI on the Western Southland Promotions Association: Community Building Website and podcasting project.
Lex and his wife Helen ran the Longwood Holiday Park in Riverton and had long relationships with the area, both having come from pioneering farming families in the fertile plains of Western Southland. Lex had a long association with the tourist and holiday industry, having been involved with management of accommodation facilities at Invercargill, Te Anau, Milford Sound and Tahuna Beach in Nelson, as well as being a Life Member of the Youth Hostels Association. Lex's extensive knowledge of Western Southland and his willingness and passion in sharing that knowledge with visitors and locals alike will be greatly missed.
The NZTRI team send our deepest sympathies to Lex's wife Helen Wylie and to the Western Southland Promotions Association Incorporated at the loss of this much loved and respected member of the community.
Recently Lex had recorded some great heritage podcasts of people in the Riverton area.
Download Lexs Podcasts:
- Monkey Island (Lex Wylie interviewing Neville Wilson)
- Neville Wilson Interview
- Coastal shipping and the Riverton railway
- Theophilus Daniel's house
- Mrs Clark's bakery
- Old courthouse and police residence in Riverton
- Dr Trotter's house
These podcasts can also be listened to on the Western Southland website of which Lex was a great driver, supporter, and contributor.
If you knew Lex please feel free to leave a comment below.
Comments :
Lex.
Submitted by Anonymous website user on Sat, 14/02/2009 - 12:54.Johan and I where sadden to hear the news of the passing of such a wonderful man.
Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family.
Fondest memories Lex….
Johan Groters and Joyce Kolk
Wairaurahiri Jet.
A tribute to Lex Wylie by Carolyn Nodder
Submitted by Anonymous website user on Thu, 12/02/2009 - 14:15.I am truly saddened to hear of the loss of this wonderful man. I will soon write more about Lex and the huge contribution he made towards the development of www.westernsouthland.co.nz as Chair of the Western Southland Promotions Association Incorporated. Lex also made a significant contribution to my own PhD work where I focus on the case of Western Southland.
Lex Wylie as Chair and co-founder of WSPAI, NZTRI Research Officer Vanessa Clarke (Lex & Helen's niece), and NZTRI Director Simon Milne were very much part of the driving force behind the development of the website, starting their work in 2004. I've attached a handout sheet that Lex wrote in March last year (2008) to tell his community what this 'website stuff was all about'. He took copies of this with him when he'd make trips around western Southland to 'drum up support' for this community-built website and the Podcasting project. It's easy to see his passion for the people and places that he called home. The following is a personal tribute to Lex. My love and best wishes to Helen and family. In his last email last year Lex wrote ... "Did we tell you that grandchild no 13 is due in mid April?" Though I didn't know Lex for as long as I'd like to, it was so obvious that his family was his pride and joy.
A PARABLE OF IMMORALITY, HENRY VAN DYKE "I'm standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads his white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. He is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch until at last he hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, 'There, he goes.' Gone where? Gone from my sight - that is all. He is just as large in mast and hull and spars as he was when he left my side and just as able to bear his load of living freight to the places of destination. His diminished size is in me, not in him. And just at the moment when someone at my side says 'There, he goes!', there are other eyes watching his coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout 'Here he comes' "
with love Carolyn Nodder Senior Research Officer and Doctoral Candidate