Mouri OTENE Obituary

Te tamaiti matamua e arohaina ana

Hey Frank Im at mahi!
I sit here and think of you giving staff grief. Here's your liner " what! what are hanging around for now?? Your cheeky laugh and grin not to mention rolling of your eyes after they left was ....priceless:) oh boy, Marewa and I would laugh for ages, just about in tears.
Little did they know under that thick skin of yours you were a loving and kind man just like a father.
There's a lot of memories of you here in the Mori Land Court, not just in Wellington but throughout the motu. Those memories will continue to live on...why?? Cause you left a footprint on so many hearts here Frank, you just didnt know it.
Kei te hotuhotu te manawa i a koe Frank, Haere atu r ki te tini me te mano e okioki. Ka maumahara mtou i a koe mo ake tonu Frank. Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai r e te Rangatira xx

When I first left school in 1982, my first job was as a Land & Deeds clerk at the Land Transfer Office in Wellington. Because it was a week before Xmas, I couldn't start as a clerk right away so I was put down in the Documents room under one Francis Otene. I had only been working for 3 days when Frank decided to give me a test to see how well I could find documents. Needless to say I passed with flying colours lol. However, on relaying my achievement to my new workmates, I discovered that it was the first time Frank had ever given anyone a test. Thanks Frank. Think he was trying to see if I was smart cookie lol.
From then on, he was like a dad/big brother/uncle/mate. After work drinks, socials, inter-departmental sports games, L&D National Sports Tournaments (including the inaugural one in Blenheim), weddings, bar-b-q's at Franks in Berhampore, I remember them all and all the good times we had. Whatever the occasion was, he always made sure we were ok.
The last time I met up with Frank was 18 years ago at his 50th at the Oriental Rongotai Clubrooms. We had only exchanged a couple of emails since then. I wish it had been more.
To Franks kids, grandkids and all his whanau, my condolences on your loss. He will be missed. Much love xxx