Tragic News from New Zealand of the death of Steve Newall

[Maggi Young]

Steve in 2009 - picture by Doug Logan, who said "How could you not love this man?"

Steve Newall died early this morning after an illness which he acknowleged  very  bravely,  making his  all too short remaining time a cavalcade  of the  things and  people he  loved best.
Steve is  a legend in mountain hiking, seed-collecting, plant-hunting,  public speaking to horticultural groups of every sort  and the world-wide promotion of  "jandals"  ( flip-flop footwear, which he preferred whenever  possible!).
Steve's work in arranging so many  plantsfolk's  travel to New Zealand for speaking tours for NZAGS etc  is no small footnote  in his "palmares" of achievements, either.

He was a unique character of tremendous  humour and friendliness who made firm friends wherever  he  went in the world, and so he will be missed by all these  friends as well as  his  devoted family - wife Mandy,  and children Fiona and Corwin  and their wider family, including  Steve's Dad, who also gained great chums in  Scotland.


Our last chance to spend time  with Steve  in Scotland: Steve at Grantown SRGC DWE 2019   pic Julia Corden

A new Zealand friend  writes that  " .....we shall all miss him. He did a farewell tour a couple of months ago. It was lovely to be able to say goodbye. He accepted his illness and did some amazing last helicopter flights into areas he used to tramp in, with Dave Toole and Hamish Brown."


Steve, Fiona and Corwin Newall on the Milford Trail April 2021

Steve's daughter Fiona Newall wrote  of  him :
"Often we hear of people fighting cancer, or battling cancer, or some other word for waging unseen war.
Dad didn't battle brain cancer. He just kept on living as much of his life as he was able, even as his left side gradually lost mobility, until he was in a wheelchair, and then a hospital bed, and then, this morning, he left us. He was almost 63.
There was never any pain. In fact in April he even managed to walk the Milford Track with Corwin and myself, all while his brain tumour was actively regrowing. (Two weeks later he was unable to walk unaided.) We owe  Ultimate Hikes our deepest gratitude for making this trip possible - it was the last time Dad ever set foot in the mountains and it was an experience none of us will ever, ever forget.
Thanks also to the amazing team of district nurses at Clutha Health First, who came out to visit every day for the last couple of weeks and have been a kind, caring and steady presence in our lives as Mum and I pick ourselves up and keep the farm carrying on.
And thanks to our friends and family, of course, and everyone who lent a helping hand or a kind word or just a hug - it means more than words can say.

(Level 4 lockdown means that Dad will be cremated privately, but there will be a public memorial service later on, which Mum will be deciding the details of as and when we learn more about lockdown level changes)"


Steve should have had many more  years of  hilltramping and jokes before him and his loss is a blow to all who knew  him.

Our fondest condolences are  sent to Mandy and the  Family. We will all miss you, Steve!
 

Steve by Doug in 2016


Steve by Dave Toole,  posted 16th Jan 2021

[Maggi Young]

Steve and his pals "specialised"  in  their S.P.A.T adventures in the mountains - Suicidal Plant Adventure Tours!
Here are  some  photos from their final helicopter tours to the  mountains, to allow Steve to be "on the  tops" even while he was ill .... these, like some  photos shown already from Doug Logan and Dave Toole, were first posted in Facebook at the  time  of the  trips.


View of Mount Cook for Steve and Hamish Brown,  - from a helicopter.


Ranunculus grahamii on Mount Reticence


Steve and Doug Logan 20 December 2020


Steve and Doug Logan - "relaxing" - 22 December 2020


Steve by Dave Toole January 2021

[Maggi Young]

Steve  had a wicked sense  of  humour and was fond of any  sort  of  party  or  celebration - in 2016 he went to Japan for  daughter Fiona's graduation, an event  she  remembers as him  "having a lot of fun - and Vegemite sandwiches)!


Steve in Japan, wearing the  customary shorts and jandals!

Steve's trip with Corwin and Fiona along the  Millport Trail was a real delight for them all ...





A recent drive out with  friends,  including a visit to a golf  tournament!


Steve with a fancy cocktail - such a fun,  happy picture as we'll enjoy remembering him!

Be free in the mountains forever, Steve!

[GordonT]

Strange how this news and story struck me today. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Steve, from what I've read here and and seen through the lenses of those he counted as friends, I wish I had had the honour. My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

[fermi de Sousa]

Tragic news
Steve was an amazing guy and will be sorely missed.
Condolences to Mandy, Fiona and Corwin,
regards
fermi

[annew]

Glad we had a chance to meet this wonderful character in Grantown. Thoughts are with all his friends and family.

[ruweiss]

We met Steve for the first time during our stay at Southern Alpines '96 in NZ
where he guided some of the unforgetable field trips. When  the other friends of our group took a rest,
he went with us up to the rocks and screes and showed us the places, where his beloved Ranunculus plants grew.
We kept in contact until now, the highlight was the visit to Waiblingen together with his father in November 1999,
he gave a lecture at our annual Czcech - German Rockgarden Meeting - off course with his traditional foot wear.
His sense of humour and his generosity are unforgetable for us and our thought are with Mandy, Fiona and Corvin.

[Lesley Cox]

We in New Zealand are in an emergency lockdown because a single case of Covid-19 surfaced in our community some days ago. This means we can't celebrate Steve's tremendous life in the traditional way but we are all deeply saddened by his passing. His great courage kept us abreast of the progress of his illness and it seemed that nothing bad could happen when he was so bright and cheerful. But now it has happened and I can't stop the tears running down my face.

[Maggi Young]

This wonderful tribute  to Steve  is from Doug Logan on Facebook:

Doug Logan   -New Zealand Alpine Garden Society

I believe Stevie’s found a very large Haastia pulvinaris cushion to perch himself on, surrounded by a mass of flowering Ranunculus, acraeus, godleyanus, lyalli, grahamii, and buchananii. The Rockface he leans against, smothered in Raoulia, Celmisia philocremna and Aciphylla cushions. Myosotis arnoldii and Clematis marmoraria creep down through marble cracks . A small screen flows past his bare feet crammed with Notothlaspi, Lobelia,  Stellaria and Lignocaroa....

He's sitting there, on a perfect day, with only the slightest warm breeze, pondering a mid-day snooze in the snow tussocks. A roll of seg and a can of fruit salad on his lap, and a massive smile, as he waits for us and his old loyal dog to catch up....

S.P.A.T, despite the gang colours, thuggery and brutal initiations, the constant badgering and stick poking, it's become clear without doubt, that we are all in love. A group of like-minded nature and plant geeks that built a friendship and family around our passion...

Steve's journey stripped back the macho, thick skin bullshit we wear to conform to how we men think we should act and feel. We got an opportunity to feel what our friendship really means to each other.

We just haven't just lost a friend, but a most remarkable, passionate man, who totally unselfishly gave so much of himself and time to lift and drive us all. SPAT, NZAGS, Scottish Rock Garden, IPPS, and the hundreds of other garden clubs and associations he has touched. I feel so privileged to have so many years of adventures and memories with him.



Tis f**king tragic and horrible to lose Steve, and I have so much love and sympathy for family who bear the worst of heart breaks. The thing about true friendship is it never dies, so we will always be here for you Mandy, Fi and Corwin, otherwise, I'd be expecting a swift jandle slap around the back of my head when my times up....


Was in awe, first time we met
A mountain man, of life on peaks
Croc Dundee of alpine seed
Jandles, dust busters, vege-sheep.

Epic journeys, adventures taken
Inspiring, comedian, massive heart
Always open for a yarn
And giving this plant geek a start.

Always in my thoughts mate
Your passion and friendship, I lift my hat
Bump the salad, for a margarita
To the legend and origins of SPAT.