Tribute to mountain man

Taranaki's mountaineering community gathered with family and friends to mourn the loss of Walter Fowlie this week.

Mr Fowlie, farmer, climber, amateur photographer, father, husband and Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, died in Hawera on January 4, aged 86.

In a fitting tribute to their mate, the Mt Egmont Alpine Club, as well as other clubs, raised their pickaxes in a guard of honour as he was carried away.

More than 450 people attended and there was standing room only for many at the TSB Hub during the emotional service.

Obituaries were read by long-time farming friend Opunake's Ron Brewer, fellow hunter, amateur photographer, and long-time friend Neville Wallace, of Hawera, and old climbing mates Ross Beech, of Blenheim, and Paul O'Dowd, of New Plymouth.

Mr Fowlie, who influenced many Taranaki youngsters to take up mountaineering in the 1970s, became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2001 New Year's Honours for his services to mountaineering.

A keen hunter as a young man, he joined Hawera's Mt Egmont Alpine Club in 1962.

The first 10,000ft (3000 metres) peak he climbed was Mt Haidinger in the Southern Alps in 1967, and he went on to climb 13 of New Zealand's 18 mountains above that height.

In 1968, he joined the New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC), chaired its Taranaki section for nine years, was national president from 1995 to 1997, and received life membership when he retired.

In 1973, Mr Fowlie was a member of the NZAC expedition to the Peruvian Andes.

He introduced many young members of the Mt Egmont Alpine Club to the Southern Alps, leading club trips to the Dart, Rees and Wilkin valleys and the Nelson Lakes and Mt Cook National Parks.

He climbed Mt Cook five times and in 1976 led a club climb that put a record 13 people together on the summit.

Two years later, he led the Mt Egmont Alpine Club's successful 50th jubilee expedition to Peru.

Mr Fowlie was a field leader on the New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme in Antarctica three times between 1977 and 1986 and also climbed and trekked in Nepal and Kashmir.

He was involved in search and rescue on Mt Taranaki for a number of years.

A skilled amateur photographer, he was much sought after as a guest speaker to present slide shows of his adventures, and was renowned for the unique dashes of humour he added to his presentations. He was an associate of the Photographic Society of New Zealand.
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He was the patron and a life member of the Taranaki branch of the Deerstalkers' Association and was foundation leader of the Taranaki Alpine Cliff Rescue Team in 1980.

Mr Fowlie owned a dairy farm at Alton in South Taranaki and was a director of the Alton Co-op Dairy Company when it merged with Kiwi Dairies in the 1980s.

He celebrated his 65th wedding anniversary last June with wife Norma.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, daughter Heather Nelley, two sons, Graeme and Neil, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

- © Fairfax NZ News SUE O'DOWD AND LAIRD HARPER SUE.ODOWD@DAILYNEWS.CO.NZ
Last updated 11:06 12/01/2012
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Walter Fowlie
SUE O'DOWD
For their mate: A guard of honour at Walter Fowlie's funeral at the TSB Hub in Hawera this week. It was the first funeral held at the Hub.