Obituaries

Dr Tobin 1935-2017

Dr Prudence Mary O'Hara Tobin passed away on June 23, 2020, aged 90 years, at Russley Village, Ashley Suites. For those of you who remember Dr Tobin, she was a formidable and inspirational woman who taught French at Rangi from 1959 – 1990 (32 years). She inspired so many girls to become independent thinkers. She will be remembered affectionately because she set and demanded the highest standards, but also because of her infinite care and concern for her pupils.

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Helen Saunders 1916-2020

Contributed by Annette McGrevy RROGA

It is with sadness we report that our oldest Rangi Old Girl passed away on May 1st in Auckland at the great age of 104 years.

Helen Matilda Flower Bruce lived her early life in Fendalton, Christchurch. She attended Rangi Ruru from the age of eight for her entire eight years of school. She enjoyed a very full education studying Latin, French, English, History, Geography, and Mathematics. Music was very important to her and she studied piano and singing. She also played competitive Tennis, Swimming, Life Saving and Netball, and was a prefect in her last year at school. She talked of a big earthquake on Christmas Day 1923 followed by another major quake in 1929, although she didn’t remember any great damage.

After leaving school, Helen attended a Digby’s secretarial course in 1934. She became the secretary of the Woman’s Division in 1935, a group that supported the unemployed.

She became engaged in 1937 to the organist of the choir she joined when she was 16 years old. Later that year, Helen married Linden Charles Mansell Saunders who taught music at King’s College in Auckland. During their years at King’s College, Helen produced 34

shows at the school and made clothes for the musicals. Over her years at King’s, Helen “adopted” several homesick boarders who became her life-long family! In fact, some of these “nearly sons” as she called them have been her constant visitors right up to the present.

In 1937, Miss Ethel suggested that it would be good for Rangi to have a school song to help mark the School’s 45th anniversary. Helen’s sister, Barbara Bruce, who taught at Rangi Ruru for about 15 years asked Helen to write a song. So, on their honeymoon in Wanaka, Helen wrote four verses and Lin wrote the music. Miss Ethel liked the song so all four verses were sung at the anniversary, with verses 3 and 4 then chosen to become the School Song which is still sung today.

In 1950, Helen convened a group of Rangi Ruru Old Girls living in Auckland to a meeting at the home of Mrs G.W.Flint for the First General Meeting of the Rangi Ruru Old Girls’ Auckland Branch. Present were Five Life Members, 18 Annual Members, plus one Christchurch Annual Member. This was the beginning of the Auckland Branch, which is still operating today! The group Helen founded all those years ago has served as a very welcome connection for Rangi Old Girls who have found themselves in Auckland over the years. During the 60s and 70s, Helen held the office of President and contributed to the success of the Auckland Branch for many years; just one of the many ways her legacy will live on.