Progress on a book celebrating the life and times of long time Tuatapere doctor Eric Elder is delighting his daughter, Eliz Gray

A strong supporter of the project on her late father, Gray said she was delighted that the book is covering a wide range of topics which include stories from the community, his professional colleagues and practising life, and his family.

It is most important that the book will have interaction with people from all walks of his life, she said.

“It seems that the book is taking on a life of its own. It’s totally humbling the way the book is progressing.”

“For me it’s lovely the contacts that keep coming up, they reconnect me back to the place that I grew up in Tuatapere – Tuatapere remains a touch stone for me and our families.”

“As a family we are delighted the book and the Oral histories are being done as it is the kind of thing that we have wished to happen for many years and now it’s finally happening.”

“It will be an interesting book for the future generations of our family that never got to meet their grandparents,” Gray said. 

Book Project Committee Chairperson Edwin Lewis said the project is going to take at least 18 months, maybe up to 2 years.

“We have so many people, spread all over the world, that we are trying to get in contact with, all have a story to tell about their memories of Dr Elder,” Lewis said.

Southland Oral History Project volunteers Paula McKenzie and Chrissy Lampitt, both of Tuatapere, are also recording the oral history of Dr Elder’s life and times in conjunction with the book writing process.

“We are delighted to be part of this project and we have already made a start. We are worried that the history of the Tuatapere and wider community’s history will be lost if we don’t start interviewing the locals before it is too late and memories start to fade,” McKenzie said.

The book is being complied by Lloyd Esler and anybody who would like to contribute stories, photos and other memorabilia can be delivered to the Tuatapere Medical Centre or emailed to [email protected]