Margery May (nee Bent) Dwerryhouse

On 3rd of April, 2022 peacefully in her 98th year. Dearly loved wife of the late Ian Dwerryhouse. A service will be held at the Somervell, Presbyterian Church, 497 Remuera Road Remuera Auckland, 1 p.m Friday 8th of April 2022, prior to interment in the Te Henui Cemetery, Corner Watson Street and Lemon Street Strandon, New Plymouth, 1 p.m Saturday 9th April 2022.

Dear family,

On behalf of the session of the St Johns Presbyterian Church Hunter’s Corner Papatoetoe, it is an honour to recall our long association with your relative and friend Margery Dwerryhouse.

With the farmland of East Tamaki developing into the new suburb of Otara, The Presbytery of South Auckland wanted each denomination to have an independent presence in the area. Sister Margery Bent was appointed as deaconess in Otara by the Assembly Home Ministry Committee in 1961. Due to Margery Bent’s practical nature and strong desire Christian faith, she gained a lot of encouragement and support from the St Johns Congregation. East Tamaki House in Hamill Road was the Deaconess home and a centre for worship. In August 1962, The Otara Hall was opened, while she was establishing the Otara- East Tamaki Parish the St John’s Congregation were grateful of the assistance Margery gave them during the long eighteen-month vacancy until the Reverend David Borne was inducted as the Minister of St Johns Papatoetoe in November 1962. In the Annual report of 1963 Sister Margery Bent said “So scrapers, scrubbers, painters you who baked and sewed, preached, planned and prayed what you have worked for is coming to pass”.

The Otara – East Tamaki Parish was fully established, and the Reverend Sam Barley was inducted in February 1964. 

We give Thanks for the life of Margery Dwerryhouse her Ministry was an example to Presbytery and the National Church that enabled many other talented women become Ministers in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa.

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