The family of Beachlands’ oldest resident, 102-year-old Esme Peters, have announced her passing to the Pohutukawa Coast community.
Peters’ daughter and son-in-law, Fran and Duncan Pardon, say she died peacefully at home on August 21 after a short illness.
The local legend lived in Beachlands for 40 years after she and her late husband Charles retired in 1982.
“Over the years she was involved in numerous community groups and activities including the Beachlands Social Club, Garden Circle, Womens’ Institute, Art Group and Gentle Exercise Group,” the Pardons wrote on social media. “She was a faithful member of the St Hilda’s Anglican congregation.”
In 2018, Peters was honoured for her service as Auckland’s oldest and longest-serving volunteer librarian as she ran Beachlands Library.
A WWII Royal New Zealand Airforce WAAF, she led the annual Beachlands Anzac Day Parade, marching until last year, proudly wearing medals from her service.
She joined the Air Force to commemorate her fighter pilot brother who died in 1942, against her family’s wishes.
Peters was the great grand-daughter of Colonel Stephen Ponsonby Peacocke who led the militia of Fencible soldiers in Howick and designed the stockade on Howick’s Stockade Hill.
In Beachlands’ Anzac Service in 2021, Peters was the only surviving service person from World War II in attendance, leading the flagbearers.
Peters’ little red hatchback was a familiar sight around Beachlands until she gave up driving at 101, her family says.
