THOUGHTS: On the passing of Dr MAGGIE LAWTON

Eulogy for Maggie Lawton’s funeral at The Venue, Cardrona Valley Road, Wanaka on Thursday afternoon, 16 March 2017.

Can I first thank Katrine, Hayley, Ella & Christine – for this rarest honour of speaking in memory of your Mum today … because Maggie Lawton was a genuinely rare individual who received – and inspired – equal proportions of affection, respect and regard

from most everyone that she met.

I had the privilege of meeting Maggie only in the past year – in the first instant, as rival aspirants for a position on the Otago Regional Council.

Before I’d even met Maggie – I was in awe.

I remember commenting – when the nominations for the Dunstan constituency were first publicly released … that in all my 30 years of public life, I’d never met a candidate whose CV was so superior to mine, in every way. I just looked at and went … Wow! I haven’t got a chance.

And that wow-ness only escalated when I first met her, and heard her speak.

I’ve met some stellar female politicians in my life – campaigned and debated against quite a few – Ruth Richardson, Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark … but whenever you were listening to them speak, you knew they were making up the bits between the facts.

Maggie wasn’t like that. She connected facts and arguments as if they were brother and sister. Not in a bombastic way like Ruth, or a headmistress way like Helen Clark.

But calmly – methodically – cleverly - clearly.

And it was only when I first heard her speak – at a political forum at Omakau … that I truly realised that I was truly stuffed. I didn’t stand a chance.

Of course we were from the most polar opposites of the political spectrum.

Maggie, I detected, as a greenie liberal. I was the conservative reactionary. We instantly recognised each other as such, I suspect.

In fact, her friends said – she would later tell me - that I was “mad, bad and dangerous to know.” Although Maggie found that combination intriguing … whether from a personal standpoint, or that of a forensic scientist, I was never entirely sure.

And then something wonderful happened. An alchemy – a mixing of ideas, intellect, understandings and honesty – that had me wilfully accepting the role as Tonto to her Lone Ranger.

I didn’t just come to respect and like this amazing woman. I came to love the way in which she conducted every aspect of herself.

Clear, reasoned and rational, not afraid to challenge … but never in a belittling nor cursory way. In short, Maggie was way too decent for politics.

But do you know what? She loved it. She loved politics. We would talk on our long car rides, to meetings in Dunedin, or afterwards sharing one of her favourite vintages … and she would freely admit to loving the chance to make a difference, and being absolutely determined to do so.

And how she’d wished she’d entered the fray, years earlier.

And in our chats, the warm, sensitive, empathetic Maggie would quickly emerge. A woman who felt passionately about the environment, the Lakes and Otago, sure … but as proud and passionate about her children and her grandchildren.

She talked of their triumphs and the tragedies in her life – of her gorgeous grandchildren … of losing her beloved Robbie.

In four short months, Maggie was making a tangible difference on the Otago Regional Council. She had the respect of all her colleagues – even those not keen to hear her message.

Maggie Lawton was – is – a wonder woman.

But her learning, her championing of good causes, her political pushes … will be for nought if we don’t carry on … if we don’t follow the paths that she had already mapped out and smoothed for us.

Maggie … you were my political ally, my regional partner – but most of all, my friend.

You opened doors and eyes – in such a brief time, you taught me so much.

Your legacy will live with me everyday.

Your memory shall not fade.

And you wouldn’t want it to either, would you? You would want us to carry on … and, honey, we will.

And you will be beside us every step – of every day – of that journey.

Thank you. Thank you for being …

an amazing Mum,

an adoring grandmother,

an outstanding scientist and policy-maker,

a good and supportive friend …

and our inspiration for our every tomorrow.

ENDS

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