James Rowley Lees (1912 - 2006)

Born 3 Jul 1912 in Te Puke, New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 29 Sep 2006 at age 94 in Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand

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Biography

Rowley Lees lived in Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand.

Son of English-born Daniel Ambrose Lees, and his wife Marion Catherine Lees (nee Paterson).

Rowley Lees was born in Te Puke, in the Bay of Plenty, where his father was a dairy farmer.

He married Thelma Elsie (unknown), and they lived in Papakura, in Youngs Road. He was involved in two family businesses. Companies were: LEES FAMILY MOTORS LIMITED, LEES BROS (1981) LIMITED, with the registered address of 12A Youngs Road, Papakura. Engineering and machinery were the specialty of the companies.

He had several children, grandchildren, and grandchildren before his death.

He died in Papakura, Auckland, and a plaque has been erected to his memory in the Papakura Cemetery.

In September 2016 it was announced that construction had commenced on a new development at Selwyn Oaks, a retirement village in Papakura. Rowley's parents had lived at Selwyn Village in their sunset years. National newspaper service Stuff published this about the Lees brothers contribution to a Papakura retirement facility:

"Major construction is underway at Papakura's Selwyn Oaks retirement village with the building of a three-storey, 48-room care suite...The $14 million project, funded by The Selwyn Foundation charitable trust, will replace the centre's existing 66 bed care facility. The new building is being named The Lees Centre in recognition of the late brothers Ted and Rowley Lees."[1]

The Selwyn Foundation had this to say about the Lees Centre :-

The new development will be named ‘The Lees Centre’ in recognition of the outstanding contribution of the late Ted and Rowley Lees to the establishment of Selwyn Oaks village. Leading figures in the Papakura community, Messrs Lees played an influential role in the development and growth of the village in its early years, and The Selwyn Foundation wishes to honour their personal commitment and generosity to Selwyn by dedicating the new building in their name. [2]

Noting Rowley Lees' contribution to the Papakura community, there is also a street now named after him, called "Rowley Lees Drive" ("Selwyn Oaks Retirement Village, a member of the Selwyn Foundation Group, offers independent living in 16 Villas situated at Rowley Lees Drive, 21 Youngs Road, Papakura, 2110" - as at 7 Jan 2017)

Sources

• New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840-1950, Birth date Jul-Aug-Sep 1912; Registration place: Te Puke, New Zealand; Folio no 3583
• New Zealand Electoral Rolls
• Australia & New Zealand Find-a-Grave Index, Memorial # 78766392
• Stuff (New Zealand) article on Selwyn Oaks and naming of the Lees Centre [3]
• The Selwyn Foundation website - page about news on Selwyn Oaks [4]