Glenside stalwart passes away

Well known Glenside resident Margaret Schuch, who has lived in the suburb since 1960, passed away on 12 January 2023 aged 92 years.

Her death came just one month and one day after the Glenside community hosted an afternoon tea at the Halfway House on 11 December to farewell her move to Malvina Major Retirement Home, following the passing of her husband Theodor on 24 August 2022.

Margaret was the youngest of the six children of Charles and Katherine Perkins. She was born on 8 June 1930 in Derby, England

In 1956, Margaret got a job with the NZ Commission at Bowen House. She came to New Zealand on the ship Captain Cook and was billeted with 1000 migrants at Trentham.

Eventually she went flatting with two girls in the Hutt, and then moved to Karaka Bay. She met her future husband Theo Schuch at a dance at The Realm at Hataitai.

Theo had moved to New Zealand in 1953 with other Austrians to build houses in Titahi Bay. He also built his concrete house at 16 Glenside Road with help from his younger brother Ernst.

Theo and Margaret were married at St Mary’s Catholic Church in 1960 and Margaret began her new life in Glenside.

Margaret continued working using her office skills at an insurance company and at Arohata Borstal.

She was secretary for the Glenside Progressive Association in 1967, 1968, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 1985 and 1986, and a dedicated committee member.

Margaret said the best thing for Glenside during her time on the association was the village getting a good water supply, going onto town sewerage, and the construction of the two flood retention dams in Stebbings Creek.

When she was 10 years old

Margaret survived a bomb blast.

Derby was the target of German bombing during the Second World War.

Margaret was standing in front of the range, stirring porridge, when a German bomb shell hit and blew out the chimney of the coal range. The neighbours on both sides of their house were killed.

The family rushed into an air raid shelter, then Margaret’s brother Mick, piggy-backed her to a local school (an evacuation/first aid centre) and she and her mother were transferred to hospital.

Margaret was in hospital for three months with burns to her legs, which became permanent scars.

In 2016, Margaret was the recipient of the North Wellington Voluntary Service Award for secretarial services to the Senior Citizens Club. She is survived by her daughter Helen, son-in-law Keith and grandson Joseph.