Member Story - Lyall Holmes

I was brought up on a Mixed Dairy/Sheep/Cattle farm at Turanga-o-Moana, a small district 5Kms from Matamata on the Kaimai range, until my teens when we shifted to the outskirts of Waharoa Township on a small dairy farm. 

I am very much a baby boomer being born the day following King George’s death when #8 wire was used extensively in everyday life & fortunately the family owned a beach house at Whangamata, where we spent several weeks of the year.

I am the eldest of 2 males in my family of 5 siblings which are spread over several years as my mother remarried late following the death of my father in a car crash when I was 8 yrs.’ old – she took over running the farm until she married Dads best mate George & although he was a tough but fair old man, he showed us all the right path in life.

After a small country school, Matamata Intermediate & College were but 20 mins away & the education that resulted was above average, particularly regarding sports involvement & although I didn’t particularly excel at any individual sport it was a big part of my teens when not working on the farm – Farm life gave me skills that I cherish including the ‘circle of life’ ‘animal husbandry’ & hunting & shooting opportunities that my son & grandsons are following on with, when they can.

George had many contacts in the community that he fostered while single & building his farming assets, that led to me getting a cadetship with leading stock firm Dalgety’s where I had a thorough grounding of commerce, trading & administration which I have been proud of in my wide variety of employment & enterprises.

After several positions in Dalgety’s I worked for NZ Dairy Co (now RD1) as a purchasing officer, Elders NZ, & approx 25 yrs’ in Farmlands at several levels including Business Manager of 2 branches, & Merchandise Manager of the 26 branches at that stage, which was a HO executive position. I retired from Farmlands early 2017 after 2 separate stints, content with my contribution to the economy.

In between these rural positions I owned 3 separate urban businesses over 30 years, along with my partner & wife Vivian, including a Hardware store, Manufacturing Building products & retailing printer accessories in a mall, has given me an amazing variety of employment & wouldn’t swap my experience for quids. – Thankfully all of these businesses were located within the Tauranga City boundary & our partnership worked well.

I married my teen sweetheart at a young age & our children are 2 boys & 1 girl & they are thankfully all married & within the NI & we see them frequently along with our 6 grandchildren.

I joined Jaycees early in my career & after moves around NI was involved with 3 clubs which was a great way to meet people & then later joined Rotary in year 2000 when I returned to Tauranga & have been a member since. I did my stint as President 2009-10. 

In retirement I supplement my income with a small driving job at the Port which gets me out of the house & am enjoying on a very casual basis – Golf has played a big part in my retirement averaging 2 x 9 hole games a week which I thoroughly enjoy for the companionship & fitness aspects & treat purely as a relaxed, social & fun pastime with Rotary mates, mainly.