Ada Neilson

1920 - 2014

Ada was born in August 1920, and spent her whole life in Tauranga. She went to school at Ohauiti, Bethlehem and Greerton schools.

Ada married before the onset of World War Two. Her husband Bill went to serve overseas, and while he was away, Ada took over his cream collection business, collecting the cream from Dairy farms in the Pahoia area and delivering it to the Dairy factory down by Memorial Park.  She did this until Bill’s return.

Ada was a strong, independent woman.  She worked hard her whole life, supported herself financially and always contributed to society. She had a variety of jobs around Tauranga and in her later years she volunteered at charity shops.  Sadly there were no children but she loved her wider family, her brothers and cousins, her Mum and Aunties and Uncles. She took much pleasure in family gatherings. She cared for both her mother and her husband in their later years.

Ada’s passion for many years was as a volunteer for St John Ambulance. She was never happier than when spending her weekends as the ‘Ambulance Lady’ at local sports games and race meetings.

Ada was extremely proud of her Maori ancestry being descended from Mataatua, Takitimu and Tainui waka. She loved to tell people, as she had been told by her own mother, that she was descended from a Maori Princess.

Ada died in August 2014 aged 93.