Tasman loses its most famous fisher

BY LAURA BASHAM

Eric King-Turner got his new season's fishing licence last week, but he didn't get to fish – the 104-year-old died on Sunday.

Mr King-Turner was celebrated as Britain's oldest emigrant and New Zealand's oldest immigrant when he moved to Nelson early last year with his New Zealand-born wife Doris.

Mrs King-Turner, 90, said her husband did not like all the media fuss, although he didn't show it publicly. "He was a thorough English gentleman."

The couple married 13 years ago, after a curious turn of events involving name connections and a fishing trip.

Mrs King-Turner was researching her family's history, and her daughter Adrienne, who was living in Britain, contacted Mr King-Turner.

Although they shared a surname, they were not related, but she and her husband Lewis decided to keep in touch with Mr King-Turner, a retired dentist who had been surgeon commander in the Royal Navy, and his wife Joan, and visited them in 1981.

Mr King-Turner's wife died in 1991, and Lewis King-Turner invited him to stay during a fishing trip to New Zealand in 1993.

However, shortly before his arrival, Lewis died. Mrs King-Turner still met the Englishman at the airport, and he extended his fortnight's visit to a month, then returned in 1995.

The couple had been touring the country together for two weeks when they realised they were in love, and decided to marry in Alexandra.

They lived in Britain for 12 years, until Mr King-Turner decided to do the gallant thing and bring his homesick wife back to Nelson.

"It was special to me to be coming home," Mrs King-Turner said yesterday.

"I never mentioned about coming home. It was his idea, but he was very happy here. He liked the climate, particularly Nelson, the country and the people."

Mr King-Turner also loved fly fishing, and a year ago caught a 1.8-kilogram brown trout in the Motueka River.

"He only managed to get his licence last week. He intended to go fishing in the Motueka River as soon as we got a nice, fine day. Only that was no longer to be."

Mr King-Turner suffered a stroke at their Mapua home, and died in Nelson Hospital on Sunday night with his wife at his bedside.

He had attributed his old age to his family's history of longevity, a good balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, and a tot of gin a day, "but that's all".

"He was a very lovely-hearted man. He enjoyed life and made the most of it," said Mrs King-Turner. "We were very happy."

His funeral service will be at St Thomas' Anglican Church in Motueka at 2pm tomorrow.

- © Fairfax NZ News