Michael COBURN Obituary

I hope I have the correct Mike Coburn because I think I may. Apologies if I am wrong, I did not mean to intrude or offend. My friend Mike was from Neath in South Wales and he emigrated to NZ around 1969-70 or so. He had two young children, one of whom was definitely Stephen and the other likely was Sian and he worked as a printer both in Neath and near Raumati in New Zealand. I visited him there in the 1980s and we tramped together near Tararua and caved together on both Islands. He was a fantastic caver, and a daring but careful cave diver and together we discovered miles of new caves in Wales; on a trip together on South Island to Nettlebed Cave area we explored a pothole that linked down and eventually led into that cave several hundred feet down from the surface - it was then named 'the Old Joke Inlet' based on the fact that an Irishman, a Welshman and an Englishman had gone into a hole in the ground and....
Mike visited me in Vancouver sometime in the early 2000s while on a visit to travel by train across Canada - and we regaled each other with many stories of our caving days in Wales together in the 1960s. We paired up to go back to Wales together in mid-1996 to visit the South Wales Caving Club 50th Anniversary bash - I had shaved my hippy beard but he still had his face bush on - everybody recognized him - none recognized me.
I was very sad to learn that he and his wife Viv had gone separate ways after his move to New Zealand - the same happened to me with my wife Susan after I moved to Canada, so we also had that in common. He was always very proud that Stephen (spelling?) followed him into the trade and of his daughter who he loved but I forget what she ended up doing. I do hope that I have the right Mike Coburn and that this message reaches you both with my love - I remember one Christmas or New Year when Susan and Viv were released to go off for a party leaving us two guys to look after you two young children. We sat all evening enviously wondering what our women were doing, decent considerate males that we weren't and between us we knocked back a fair amount of slowly sipped whiskey, so we were totally relaxed when the women returned long after midnight. You kids had slept peacefully all evening. However, as the door opened us guys stood up to greet them and promptly fell over into the Christmas tree pulling the curtain to the floor and scattering all the decorations and presents all over the place. We couldn't get up without help, you kids were awoken bay all the noise, and much rolling of eyes took place. Some babysitters you lot are! was the accusation. A thoroughly earned caustic rebuke. Mike we miss you. And I often revel in happy memories of the days we were young and foolish and did great things together. Terry Moon is alive and well. John Harvey, Clive Jones, Eric Inson and so many more have gone. I'm still active in tramping and hiking and almost 81 and just returned from a solo trek to 5,500m in the Himalayas in Nepal. You'd be proud of that. I've long ago retired and now have the love of my life with me - Juliane, is a poet, from Uganda and a novelist who has just had her first book published and there's never a cross word between us. This is now my fourth spouse and the one I was always looking for - How the world revolves!

Stephen, or Sian if you ever see this please ask the owners of this site for my email address and contact me - I have many photos of your father which I'd love to share with you. I give them permission to share my email address with you.

Paddy O'Reilly, currently living in Kingston Ontario Canada

Sad to hear of Mike's passing, my Dad Terry Grennell and I worked together with Mike and Steve at Olympic Stationary many years ago. Condolences to the whanau.
Shayne Grennell.