Nick Papa- 18.03.1940 - 24.07.2009

Uncle Steve, Nana, Me, Dad and Uncle Nick, March 2009

Uncle Nick worked 363 and a half days a year. He closed his shop on Christmas Day and on ANZAC Day morning. Uncle Nick was always there. As children we would make play houses from his road signs and wooden fruit boxes. We would go into the orchard with Uncle Nick when he picked fruit. When we were older he allowed us to serve customers in the shop. We loved using the till and the electronic scales. Uncle Nick patiently taught us how to use them. Uncle Nick never displayed his emotions openly, but that really did not matter. And sometimes you could tell what he was thinking even if he did not say anything.

Uncle Nick gave a speech at his 40th birthday party. He said that now he was 40 he would have to start slowing down. That was his understated sense of humour. I thought that he was being serious- when you are 8 years old 40 does seem pretty old. Uncle Nick always knew what was going on in Kumeu and Huapai, often from his customers. If he knew something that was likely to interest you he would not just tell you straight off. He would hint at it and try to get you to guess what it was about, just to the point where you started to get a little annoyed.

Uncle Nick went to the markets early in the morning every Monday and Thursday. We would occasionally go with him, getting up at what seemed to us to be an unbelievably early hour. It was surprising to see Uncle Nick in a completely different world, a world where he seemed completely at home. It was amazing to watch him deal with ease with an auction process that to us was almost impossible to follow.

He loved to tell us where he was when significant events happened. He told us that he was in the orchard picking fruit when when the news came through that President Kennedy had been assassinated. He was proud of the fact that he remembered seeing American soldiers in a military jeep when they were stationed in NZ during Word War 2.

After selling part of his property in 1997 he went on what was only his second trip overseas. Although he said that his trip to Australia did not really count anyway as in 1973 you did not have to take a passport. He visited Croatia and the United States, two places that he had really wanted to visit. One of my great pleasures in life was just being able to pop in on him and Nana, knowing that they would be there. I really enjoyed visiting them on a Friday or Saturday night and watching a game of rugby or rugby league with them. When I was there Uncle Nick would usually check the value of his shares on teletext. The shop was very successful in later years. He developed a reputation for selling white fleshed nectarines and peaches, which he moved in large quantities. He really did seem content and very happy with life. It is so hard to imagine that he will not be there any more.

Uncle Nick was an orchardist. Uncle Nick died from the effects of liver failure. Dad was with him when he died. We loved Uncle Nick and will miss him very much.