The Team's Board Report - Mainfreight

30
Bereavement – Len Wald
In April this year we at CaroTrans were all
saddened to hear of the death of one of our
colleagues – Len Wald. He was 81.
Len had worked for us as a commissioned sales
rep in New York for six years. He had decades
of NVO sales experience having worked for
some of the leading companies in the industry.
He was one of the best dressed sales
professionals with some of the most colourful
ties worn, which were generally more colourful
after a meal!!
Len was a gentleman who came to work
“booted and suited” along with the drive and
determination of a man half his age.
He was a compassionate and caring man who
saw the good in everyone. Len was one who
put more into the world than what he took out.
We’ll miss Len’s smile, humour and inspiration.
Bereavement – Elsie Jean Plested
Bruce Plested’s mother
Elsie passed away
peacefully on 18 June
2007, in her 91st year.
Elsie was born in the
Hawke’s Bay, the third
of eight children. She
survived the Napier
earthquake, living in a tent as houses were
rebuilt. When she moved to Auckland she lived
on Motuihe Island in the Hauraki Gulf for 18
months.
Elsie trained as a seamstress and made leather
Army boots for the armed forces in the Second
World War. At the age of 40 she graduated as
a teacher. She made all of the furniture for her
first home, and painted her house, including the
roof, when she was aged 60. (Bruce was kind
enough to move the scaffolding at night for the
next day’s labours).
Her seamstress abilities extended to making her
sons’ clothes and all her own hats.
She travelled
the world in her
sixties, driving
herself around
England as part
of the journey.
A remarkably
self-reliant woman
with a very strong mind, Elsie lived by the
sayings “you reap what you sow” and “we don’t
do ostentatious in this family”.
Now you know where Bruce gets his drive and
passion.
Elsie was a wonderful woman, whose support
of her sons Bruce and Gerald also extended to
the wider Mainfreight family. Many of us were
fortunate enough to know Elsie in those early
Mainfreight days. She will be greatly missed,
and we extend the team’s sincere condolences
to Bruce and the family.