Vera LEVETT Obituary

We were very sad to read of the recent death of our much loved friend and neighbour, Dr Vera Levett, an experienced clinical psychologist and adult education teacher. When she and her late husband, Allan arrived in Wellington fresh from living and studying in America she bought an energy, passion and "new world" perspective to life here as well as giving us an early insight into what feminism might mean for us, stay at home mothers as most of us were then, and our young children. Vera was a wonderful person to have as a near neighbour and friend.

Throughout her her life she was generous in sharing her knowledge and helping others - whether in helping train social work volunteers or on talk back radio where she had a regular slot for some years focusing on family matters and issues with child development.

With her recent death Mick and I lost a great friend who added so much to our lives over more than 45+ years.

Haere ra, and farewell dear Vera. After staying at your house 6 or 7 years ago, I didn't see you again. But we stayed in regular touch in Facebook in recent years, so could see something of our separate lives. You in Wellington, and me down here in Invercargill where your late husband Allan grew up. You were not so busy on Facebook over the past couple of years, but found the time late last year to send me condolences when a mutual friend died in Christchurch, And we were able to have a good talk on the phone earlier in the year. I met Vera for the first time in 1969 in the same house at a party she and Allan had mainly for university students, and then many years later while she, Allan, Tessa and Gareth were living in Tokyo for a year. That was the year when I really got to know Allan well, and a few years later he gave me a job while I was doing post graduate study at Victoria University clearing a large section of gorse he and some neighbours had jointly bought years before and were preparing for sale. Vera was still working then and we would have conversations when she was there. Later Allan gave me more work scrub-cutting and tree release work at his tree plantation in the Wairarapa which were other opportunities to talk with Vera sometimes when arriving at their house for the trip to the forestry project. Many years later while I lived in China for most of my 50's, Vera kindly arranged for me to have my last telephone conversation with Allan while he was dying at home. The most recent visit to see Vera was great fun when I stayed in her house. We had a lot of time by ourselves talking in her bedroom where she spent most of her time. She told me the story of her Jewish parents escape from Kiev (I think) as the only survivors of her many relatives, her upbringing in the UK, and then in the USA. She had a certain distinctive humour which perhaps came from her ethnic heritage reminding me of the typical humour heard in a Woody Allen movie, or used by New York people. We were lucky in Aotearoa New Zealand to have a woman of Vera's education, erudition and life experience working all of her adult life in the area of social welfare in Wellington. Above all, from both Allan and Vera, what I remember most is their kindness, hospitality, acceptance of who I was, and encouragement to a person many years younger than them. How lucky I was to have been their friend. My condolences to Tessa, Gareth and family. Taku arohanui ki a koutou i roto i te pouritanga.

Dear Tessa and Gareth, thinking of you as you grieve your mom. I remember her in those great kaftan dresses and her American accent (which I thought was pretty exotic) She once said something that has always stuck with me ( about always putting yourself after others) I still quote her on that today.
I will remember her as a role model - a unique and strong women who guided us through some of our tricky teenage years and into adulthood. May she Rest In Peace. Thank you Vera. X