Riria Paeumu Waaka(1914-1999) or Lydia Walker was a housewife married to Hapi Cootes and mothered 6 children (1 died in infancy).
Bioghraphy
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| Lydia Cootes |
Birth: 9th January 1914
Baptism: 30th August 1914
Marriage: before 1949 to Hapi Cootes
Children;
- Harata Noeleen (f) 1935 - 2002
- Mark Tarapiko (m) 1937 - 2005
- James Tiapo (m) 1938 - 2003
- Hapi Vivian (m) 1938 - 2016
- Ina (f) 1940 - 2016
- Peter (m) 1941 - 1942
Death: 26 June 1999
Burial: 29th June 1999
Cemetery: Fairhall, Marlborough, New Zealand
Early Life
Riria, or Lydia as she was also known, was born to Harata and Wiremu Walker (Waaka) on 9th January 1914. At the time of her birth she already had 3 brothers and 2 sisters. These are Hohia (b.1906), Ihaka Tekateka (b. 1908), Ina (b. 1909), Hohaia Pita (b. 1910), and Haromi Rangitiaho (b. 1912). She would also have 4 more brothers born after her birth. These are Rene "Lenard" Joseph (b. 1915), Hori "George" (b. 1916), Maaka "Mark" (b. 1918), and Peter "Tepouwhakarewarewa" (b. 1923).
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| Lydia as a child, Okoha |
Her family lived in Okoha and she spent her childhood in Anakoha bay. Her husband and her male children worked for the sawmill that was in the bay at the time.
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| Hapi and Lydia Cootes |
Lydia married Hapi Cootes, who was a sawmill worker in the same bay.
Her husband Hapi died 13th March 1961 aged only 48. Sometime after that she moved to Renwick. As far as I am aware, she swapped the house that she lived in (Okoha) with the house in Renwick who her son Mark owned. After this the house in Okoha became a family batch used by most of her children and grandchildren.
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| Lydia at her home in Renwick 1999 |
Lydia survived her husband by another 38 years, passing away in 1999. She was the last of her generation to pass away having her last brother Peter pass away 4 years before in 1995. Although having said this she also survived a granddaughter Lauren Tracey who also died in 1995 aged only 25. It is expected that all her adult children were alive when she passed away, Peter died in infancy, and it is believed she had another daughter that was adopted out with the name Marion. At the time of writing this not much is known about Marion.
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