Alan Empson QSM has been celebrated as a skilled leader, a man of faith, a pioneering farmer and a treasured family man.
St John’s Church in Te Awamutu was where he was farewelled last Friday after his death in Auckland on May 14. The service was conducted by Rev. Julie Guest, who worked closely with him during his long tenure on the St John’s Te Awamutu Trust Board.
Alan Empson, seen here with his beloved goats, had a pioneering streak.
Much of Alan’s involvement with the church focused on the restoration and maintenance of the two historic churches falling under its remit. It was a task he tackled with gusto, reflected Rev Guest. St John’s Church was also where Alan had married his wife Bev on April 11, 1966.
His brother Chris Empson said Alan’s life could be defined by three ‘Fs – faith, family and farming.
Born in 1941, Alan went to Te Awamutu Primary School, then King’s College in Auckland. Records showed an early desire to work on the land, Chris said, which was at odds with his headmaster who believed Alan should become a vet.
He committed to farming, however, and by age 20 was already sharemilking 50 cows for his father on a farm in Pokuru. Later, Alan and his bride Bev started farming in the Te Awamutu area where he skilfully turned an area of swampland into good pasture and then a Te Kawa farm from sheep to dairying. In the mid-1970s he started goat dairying at the Cambridge Road farm where the family has lived for 58 years, and in 1979 Alan planted kiwifruit and asparagus, going on to build a packing shed from where he packed and exported both crops.
In his address, Dave Stanley said Alan was on the New Zealand Dairy Goat Co-operative board in the Waikato when he was hired as chief executive officer. He became the company’s longest serving director and was considered a pioneer in his field. The pair made annual visits together to their Asian markets, during which Alan’s statesman-like leadership and his ability to treat everyone with equal respect won him many fans.
Alan’s 15 years on the Waipā District Council contributed a great deal to the region, said former mayor Alan Livingston. He was blessed with an astute business mind, was pragmatic and unflappable. Few realised the extent of his contribution, he added.
Alan served five terms on council, from 1992 to 2007, both as an elected councillor and on the Te Awamutu Community Board. Alan Livingston said he always polled the highest at elections, and his excellent decisions were made without grandstanding. He remembered Alan’s cost-saving efforts when the old saleyards site was being readied for the development of the Te Awamutu Events Centre; Alan cleared the site and sold the best of the salvaged timber in support of the project.
Eoin Morrison spoke about Alan’s 47 years with Te Awamutu Rotary Club, one of the longest tenures to date. Alan was behind the club’s successful firewood initiative, which became a mainstay of the local club. His outstanding contribution to Rotary was recognised in 1996 when he was awarded Rotary International’s highest honour, the Paul Harris Fellowship.
Rev Guest spoke of Alan as a ‘doing man’, an encourager and listener with a quick wit, someone who gave himself generously to Te Awamutu and beyond.
He received his Queen’s Service Medal in 2006 for services to the community.
Alan is survived by his wife Bev, five children, 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
