Farewell to Graham Hannah

Several hundred people attended the farewell to Graham Fergus Harvey Hannah on Friday 15th January at his home, 37 Cliff Street Raglan. He passed away suddenly on the 8th January. People from the wide range of areas that Graham had worked across came along for the celebration of the event master’s life with his family. Bright colours were worn to as Graham had always said that funerals should be ‘fun-erals’.

Born in Yorkshire he moved progressively through the middle east to Australia and then to the Waikato in 1972 where he set up the Building Display Centre. It’s hard to imagine now but when he opened it, that Centre was the only building open in Hamilton at weekends. Just an example of his forward thinking and entrepreneurship.

I first met him in 1985 when I was Telecom’s newly appointed Marketing Manager and he was planning the first Waikato Home Show. He asked me to pop in and see him at the Display Centre and explained what he was developing. He had this massive building to fill at Claudelands and did he have a deal for me.  Typical Graham. For the price of a single booth, Telecom could have six booths.  It was all a great success and we exhibited for a number of years.

Graham went on to make the show bigger and better over the next thirty years growing it into  Waikato Home and Garden Show. As well as that he ran International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and the Great New Zealand Food and Wine event in Hamilton.

I bumped into Graham over the years and then we both popped up again in Raglan. Here he played a leading role in the Raglan Chamber of Commerce and mentoring a number of people around town. When the water tower mural had graffiti added, Graham was one of the first to offer me a donation to get the mural fixed.

The farewell on Friday started with a recall of the journey of Graham’s life complemented by songs from Kate Martin and Massimo Giurioli. Members of the family gave their memories of Graham and his granddaughter Paige read a poem. Then friends and colleagues recalled their memories. Graham’s hearty laugh came to life again when it was played over the PA.

After some socialising, the band of Dave Maybee and company played into the evening.

Graham will make his last farewell to Raglan this morning (Saturday 16th), when the hearse will drive through the streets at 11.30am. Then he will come to rest in a Waikato vineyard.