Gwenda (Vere) and Clive Palmer
Vere was the first surviving child of Harry and Gwen Wheeler, after they lost a stillborn son in 1912.
The oldest child of Harry and Gwen's six children, “Auntie Vere” was a tall, elegant and good looking woman with a beautiful warm smile, gentle manner and an enthusiasm for chatting. Vere was always dressed in the current fashion of the time, and taught her nieces Natalie and Gillian Deane to sew. Gillian Deane recalls she was "rather like a tailor with her matching checks and tacking seams before they were sewn."
She has highly intelligent and loved to organise groups to go to the theatre.
She was very caring and generous to her nieces and nephews as children, often giving them clothing she’d got at sales or bringing them a rare ‘bought’ treat of sponge cake sandwiched with cream and dusted with icing sugar when she and Uncle Goldie went to stay.
Auntie Vere taught at primary school for many years and one of her pupils at Pukekohe was Roderick Deane, who was later to marry her niece Gillian. He recalls how much he loved her as his teacher.
Auntie Vere didn’t marry until later in life although she had been proposed to by Harold Houghton, the owner of ‘Muriwai Downs.’ She apparently felt that Harold was ‘too old’ for her but is said to have regretted it later when he married another lovely but much younger woman. Vere also had a seven year relationship with some one called Jock. His six sisters did not think Vere was suitable for their spoilt little brother.
Instead Vere bought a home in Pukekohe with her brother Goldwin (“Uncle Goldie”) and they lived happily together until she met and married widower Clive Palmer and gave up teaching and moved to be with him in Whangarei. There she made new friends and took a very active role in Clive's family life, centered around his six children. She remained a loyal attender at the Anglican church and but would also join the Palmer family - who were Catholics - at Mass from time to time. She had taught some of the Palmer Children when she was a young teacher near Whangarei.
Maree Palmer, one of her daughter-in –laws, was a special favourite of Vere’s. Maree cared for Vere as though she was her own daughter.
Even though she was the eldest, Auntie Vere was the last of her six siblings to pass away at 90 years of age.
Vere married Clive in later life and they did not have any children.
Vere's dates: Born 4 Aug 1913 Helensville
Died 14 Oct 2003, Whangarei.
- Contributed by Sue Macky, Vere's niece, with extra information from Gillian Deane,
The oldest child of Harry and Gwen's six children, “Auntie Vere” was a tall, elegant and good looking woman with a beautiful warm smile, gentle manner and an enthusiasm for chatting. Vere was always dressed in the current fashion of the time, and taught her nieces Natalie and Gillian Deane to sew. Gillian Deane recalls she was "rather like a tailor with her matching checks and tacking seams before they were sewn."
She has highly intelligent and loved to organise groups to go to the theatre.
She was very caring and generous to her nieces and nephews as children, often giving them clothing she’d got at sales or bringing them a rare ‘bought’ treat of sponge cake sandwiched with cream and dusted with icing sugar when she and Uncle Goldie went to stay.
Auntie Vere taught at primary school for many years and one of her pupils at Pukekohe was Roderick Deane, who was later to marry her niece Gillian. He recalls how much he loved her as his teacher.
Auntie Vere didn’t marry until later in life although she had been proposed to by Harold Houghton, the owner of ‘Muriwai Downs.’ She apparently felt that Harold was ‘too old’ for her but is said to have regretted it later when he married another lovely but much younger woman. Vere also had a seven year relationship with some one called Jock. His six sisters did not think Vere was suitable for their spoilt little brother.
Instead Vere bought a home in Pukekohe with her brother Goldwin (“Uncle Goldie”) and they lived happily together until she met and married widower Clive Palmer and gave up teaching and moved to be with him in Whangarei. There she made new friends and took a very active role in Clive's family life, centered around his six children. She remained a loyal attender at the Anglican church and but would also join the Palmer family - who were Catholics - at Mass from time to time. She had taught some of the Palmer Children when she was a young teacher near Whangarei.
Maree Palmer, one of her daughter-in –laws, was a special favourite of Vere’s. Maree cared for Vere as though she was her own daughter.
Even though she was the eldest, Auntie Vere was the last of her six siblings to pass away at 90 years of age.
Vere married Clive in later life and they did not have any children.
Vere's dates: Born 4 Aug 1913 Helensville
Died 14 Oct 2003, Whangarei.
- Contributed by Sue Macky, Vere's niece, with extra information from Gillian Deane,