VIP Obituaries Muir Campbell Templeton 20 July 1956 – 31 March 2021 Muir was injured 16 March 1975 playing for Tawa Rugby Football Club. He was 19 at the time. His brother John explained, “Muir’s first full time job was with Dalgety, at Wellington HQ in the Accounts department. He contacted Dalgety’s about returning to work and they were very supportive. This is what set Muir apart. He simply got on with his life. Initially it was two days a week, with his mum driving him in the morning, and returning in the afternoon to pick him up. ACC were approached, and a team of three taxi drivers took turns to drive Muir to work and home. Dalgety’s moved to a new building on Lambton Quay, and once his car was adapted, he used to drive himself. He continued to forge his career and eventually retired from BUPA as second in command nationally in payroll. Muir had a great group of friends that also used to get him out to parties, and down to the rugby club. At the rugby club he was the only one allowed to watch from inside, and he would then go and collect the subs as people filed in. He was also active in the Paraplegic Community through the Wellington Paraplegic Assn, competing in various athletic sports, such as, shot put, discuss, javelin, club, 50 and 100 metre dash. He regularly
returned home with several medals. This ended when he had a tendon transplant from his lower leg, grafted into his back and upper arms giving him more mobility.” Bob Symons, a fellow VIP says, “I was in Burwood, it was year-end 1986, undergoing arm surgeries/ tendons transfers when I met Muir for the first time. He opened my eyes significantly; a view to my future – of what was possible. He told me I worried too much. He was an incredible listener and would throw in a light barbed comment that would challenge me. Come on – you’ve never going to win if you don’t get in the game.” Bob says, “I got to know Muir in June 1990. It was to a Parafed wheelchair rugby event. I was at BP as an IT graduate. He stood for everything I aspired to be professionally. Working successfully in the corporate world. He created the template of where I could go and the showed me the courage to make it possible. He was a huge role model to others, without even knowing it. He just got on and did It. Always dressed properly, suit and trousers, styled and groomed – glasses were always clean, mine always had finger marks everywhere! Beautifully manicured. A true gentleman with his ever-cheery smile. He represented stability – his humour, highly principled, an advocate for justice. Over the years we socialised sometimes
Pete O’Flaherty 2 June 1950 – 5 November 2021 Pete was injured on 30 September 1973 playing for Massey University RFC. He was 23 at the time. Back when 24-year-old Peter O’Flaherty was still getting used to being paralysed from the neck down, some mates put his name down for a job with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
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frequently, sometimes not. He was one of the Wellington gang with Pete, Phil Rangi, Neil, Don, Phil Spring, Staffy, Selwyn, Mike and Catherine – Muir was always ‘best presented’ player.” Some notes from some of the guys: Such sad news. Although I only knew him through the foundation I felt like I had known him for much longer with his magnetic personality. Fly high Muir with your pure golden wings. You are beaming with health now. Condolences to Muirs family. Please pass on my sincere condolences. A good innings but the end of this life is inescapable and must come to us all. It’s what you do with your life that matters, not the longevity of it and Muir’s life was full of life.
Peter scoffed at them. “I told them they were bloody stupid; that no one would want to employ me.” He was wrong. Thirty-six years later, Peter O’Flaherty retired from a full working life – an example of someone who has not let disadvantage get in the way, and an inspiration to the disengaged teenagers and unemployed people he worked with during the last seven years of his working life.
