Nichola (Nicky) Joy Horrell

She was the middle child and only daughter to Barry and Joy.

She went to Playcentre at Heriot early just because Shane loved it so much.

Her Primary school years began at Kelso until it closed and she moved to Tapanui Primary school to stay with her friends until starting at Blue Mountain College.

Nicky was known to get up to mischief, there are many stories you can share with the family after the service similar to when she was push biking with Shane on the family farm and she decided to take a shortcut through the gully winding up in the barbed wire fence gaining the nickname Beetroot.

Nicky’s hobbies growing up consisted of netball, drama club, badminton, motorbiking and family holidays.

She attended Cromwell Polytech and completed a tourism degree to what we thought was the final stage of her education but once she had kids they always joked she had to one up them and graduated with another degree.

Nicky began her working career in Queenstown at the roaring meg café doing silver service and working at the holiday inn.

A year later the exciting news came that she was expecting her first child and only son Tony and soon after moved to the family farm in Crookston.

Here she had her first and only proper girly daughter Tash.

Following the passing of her late husband Barrie Johnston she moved Durham street, Tapanui.

The spark relit and Nicky and Dave moved into the present family house with the kids at Wooded hill road 1999. Which marks 25 years this year.

She began Scrap booking to restore and treasure photos she had taken of the kids growing up. Each of the kids now have a full set of about 15 albums each detailing there lifes until they finished high school to cherish.

Nicky and Dave Married shortly after on 27th of November 1999 in Queenstown on the earnslaw.

Nicky spent a lot of time at the playcentre and developed her love for teaching. This is where she started her journey of education training through a playcentre supervisor’s course.

In 2001 the third child and not so girly daughter, Sandra was born. Even while the family was in Rarotonga Nicky would refer to Sandra and Dave as the Boys.

Nicky was so much more a stay at home mum she was the kids manager, personnel chef, planner and just a Mum when they needed it. She took them to every school, sporting, and cultural event and in the process signed up to every committee board or group the kids were in and wasn’t shy to volunteer the wider family to join in. This included a few things like the A and P show, netball committee, rugby, soccer, Christmas parade, milo cricket, board of trustees, swimming club, and indoor bowls. Anything anyone ever needed done she was the first to stick her hand up and sort it out even if it did involve multiple 3am nights to get it sorted which Dave was well accustomed to.

She started teacher aiding at Tapanui primary school in Sandra's early years.

Nicky started working at Kidsway the remainder of the week and got to see the kids progress through to school.

While working Nicky trained as an early childhood teacher completing her degree, diploma and various certificates in Te Reo Maori and she was still working on them even while she was away on holiday. Tash did wonder why her suitcase weighed so much even before she had added the souvenir shopping.

After graduating she moved to working solely at Kidzway and enjoyed nurturing the young children and seeing them develop.

Throughout her busy life no matter how busy Nicky was she always had time for her family. Making annual trips to Mavora and the Run, hosting birthday party’s, celebrating achievements and visiting everyone around the country.

The kids, nieces and nephews have fond memories of Nicky’s what they call “Doctors appointments”. This was where she would notify the school that they had an appointment all just conveniently on the same day and she would take them on an adventure.

Nicky always said that life is to be lived. Enjoy every minute of it. And she did right up to her passing Nicky was out swimming with her family in Rarotonga with the turtles enjoying every moment of what life has to offer.

Life isn't forever, Love is xx