Heather McLean QSM
The Board of New Zealand Society of Genealogists was sad to learn of the passing, on Thursday 31st of January 2019, of long term member and society stalwart Heather McLean QSM.
Heather Yvonne McLean joined the New Zealand Society of Genealogists in 1973. Based in the Bay of Plenty, Heather played an integral part in both the Tauranga and Te Puke Branches of the NZSG and served on the committee of both Branches.
Heather held a number of national roles including New Zealand Cemetery Transcription Librarian and Overseas Cemetery Librarian when the NZSG libraries were held in member’s homes. Heather was a member of the cemeteries project team and was appointed Cemetery Transcribing Projects Advisor, a position held from 2000 to 2003. She also served on the NZSG Council from 1998 to 1999.
Heather transcribed approximately 10,000 burials and 14,000 cremations of the Tauranga Cemetery and Crematorium and this transcription is part of the NZSG cemeteries collection. She also played a major role in the transcription of headstones of many cemeteries in the Bay of Plenty region.
Heather created a database recording the information from death notices as published in the Bay of Plenty Times and supplied the index for the Kiwi Collection.
One of Heather’s most recently completed projects was a database detailing Air Related Deaths from 1899 through to 2016.
Heather was a dedicated researcher assisting many people to research their families by regularly helping at Tauranga City Library and opening her home once a month to anyone who was interested in researching their family. For this remarkable body of work she had recently become a Life Member of the Society.
Heather's significant contribution to Genealogy and this Society was recognised in the New Year’s Honours with the award of a Queens Service medal.
Our deepest sympathies go to Heather's family and closest friends.
Mary Shadbolt
NZSG Board Chairperson