Noma Shepherd
{{short description|New Zealand community leader (1935–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Noma Shepherd
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|JP|size=100%}}
| image = Noma Shepherd ONZM (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Shepherd in 2022
| birth_name = Noma Jeanne Tidswell
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|08|12|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|11|19|1935|08|12|df=y}}
| death_place = Kawakawa, New Zealand
| birth_place =
| occupation = Community leader
| notable_works =
| awards =
| spouse = {{marriage|Doug Shepherd||2008|end=d.}}
| children =
}}
Noma Jeanne Shepherd {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|JP|size=85%}} ({{nee|Tidswell}}; 12 August 1935 – 19 November 2023) was a New Zealand community leader. Based in Kawakawa in the Bay of Islands area, Shepherd's contributions to the community over many years included supporting the creation of the Hundertwasser Toilets and being instrumental in the establishment of Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park, which opened in 2020.
Life and career
Shepherd was born Noma Jeanne Tidswell on 12 August 1935, the daughter of Phyllis Jeanne and Raymond Clarence Tidswell.{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dbirths |title=Birth search: registration number 1935/37503 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=8 January 2024}}
Shepherd and her husband Doug were the farm managers for Friedensreich Hundertwasser at Kaurinui.{{cite news |last1=de Graaf |first1=Peter |title=Hundertwasser park gets under way |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/hundertwasser-park-gets-under-way/docview/1314227218/se-2? |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=4 March 2013 |page=A3}} In 1999 she worked with Hundertwasser and local volunteers to build the Hundertwasser Toilets, which became a tourist attraction in Kawakawa.{{cite news |title=Second royal honour for stalwart of Kawakawa |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/second-royal-honour-stalwart-kawakawa/docview/2537659389/se-2? |access-date=8 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=8 June 2021 |page=A10}} She read a speech on Hundertwasser's behalf at the opening of the toilets, and re-read it at the 20-year anniversary celebration in 2019.{{cite news |last1=de Graaf |first1=Peter |title=Hundertwasser loos turn 20 |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/hundertwasser-loos-turn-20/docview/2327357183/se-2? |access-date=8 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=18 December 2019 |page=A2}}
In 2007, Shepherd was the founding member of the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park Charitable Trust, a charity set up to honour Hundertwasser's legacy in Kawakawa. She became the chair of the trust in 2011. In 2017, she successfully obtained council and government backing for the establishment of a memorial complex, which commenced building in 2018.{{cite news |last1=Laird |first1=Lindy |title=Hundertwasser hub begins |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/hundertwasser-hub-begins/docview/2085807330/se-2? |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=15 June 2018 |page=A5}} The complex is designed to celebrate both Hundertwasser and local Māori heritage, and incorporates a library, visitor information centre, cafe and other facilities.{{cite news |title=Kawakawa welcomes government funding |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/kawakawa-welcomes-government-funding/docview/2011268188/se-2? |access-date=8 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=8 March 2018 |page=A16}}{{cite news |title=Local firm wins park design job |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/local-firm-wins-park-design-job/docview/1857366839/se-2? |access-date=8 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=12 January 2017 |page=A4}} Te Hononga Hundertwasser Memorial Park was opened by prime minister Jacinda Ardern in October 2020. Shepherd was instrumental in the development and opening of the building,{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=John |title=Moving forward together: Time to honour our community advocates |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/moving-forward-together-time-honour-our-community/docview/2539248061/se-2? |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=The Northern Advocate |date=10 June 2021 |page=A8}} and described it as one of her greatest achievements.{{cite news |last1=Piper |first1=Denise |title=Northlanders behind iconic Hundertwasser projects and online learning honoured |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125338259/northlanders-behind-iconic-hundertwasser-projects-and-online-learning-honoured&c=6009848794850260973&mkt=en-us |access-date=7 January 2024 |work=Stuff |date=6 June 2021 |language=en}}
Shepherd was the chair of the Bay of Islands Community Board from 1997 to 2006, and served as secretary and chair of the Kawakawa Domain Board from 1997 to 2007.{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Peter |title=Another honour for Noma Shepherd |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northland-age/news/another-honour-for-noma-shepherd/VFRJGYRCLIRA3K7LVDVG3JT22Q/ |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=Northland Age |date=8 June 2021 |language=en-NZ}} From 2003 to 2021 she was president of the Bay of Islands Senior Citizens' Club, from 2009 to 2021 she was the chair of the Kawakawa Memorial Museum Library Charitable Trust, and from 2005 to 2015 she was the Bay of Islands coordinator for the New Zealand Cancer Society's Daffodil Day. She was also president of the Taumarere Ōpua Women's Institute for 24 years, and served as a justice of the peace.{{cite news |url=https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2020-go3910 |title=Justices of the peace (retired) |date=25 August 2020 |work=New Zealand Gazette |access-date=8 January 2024}}
Shepherd died in Kawakawa on 19 November 2023, at the age of 88.{{cite news |url=https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/noma-shepherd-obituary?id=53633848 |title=Noma Shepherd obituary |date=21 November 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=7 January 2024}} She had been predeceased by her husband, Doug Shepherd, in 2008.{{cite web |url=https://fndc.discovereverafter.com/profile/31476039 |title=Douglas Graham Shepherd |publisher=Far North District Council |access-date=8 January 2024}}
Awards
In the 1997 New Year Honours, Shepherd was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the community.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-1997 |title=New Year honours list 1997 |date=31 December 1996 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=8 January 2024}} In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was promoted to Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community, in recognition of her continued significant contributions to the Kawakawa and Bay of Islands communities.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2021 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2021 |date=7 June 2021 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=8 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=Queen's Birthday honours 2021 – citations for Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2021-onzm |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=7 January 2024 |date=7 June 2021}} On her promotion, Shepherd said the award belonged to the whole community; "You can't do anything on your own. You've got to take the people with you or go with them."
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:People from Kawakawa, New Zealand
Category:20th-century New Zealand women
Category:21st-century New Zealand women