Kenneth Keith, a New Zealand jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge of the International Court of Justice from 2006 to 2015, died on May 13, 2026, at the age of 88. Born in Auckland on 19 November…
Mark Smythe died on May 9, 2026, at the age of 53 from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He was a New Zealand-born American composer known for Daddy's Little Girl, Unfallen, and The Reef: Stalked.
Geoff Stedman, a New Zealand physicist, died on May 3, 2026, aged 83. He was known for his work on ring lasers and had research interests including the foundations of relativity and symmetry in quantum mechanics. Stedman received the Hector…
Carla Van Zon, a New Zealand artistic director, died on April 29, 2026, aged 74. She worked on international opportunities for New Zealand artists at Creative New Zealand before becoming artistic director of the New Zealand International Festival of the…
Adrienne Staples, a New Zealand politician and former mayor of South Wairarapa, died on April 19, 2026, aged 69–70. Born in Featherston in 1956 or 1957, she served as mayor of South Wairarapa from 2004 to 2016, becoming the district’s…
Mark Carrington, a New Zealand cricketer who played for Northern Districts, died on April 16, 2026, at the age of 64. Born in Gisborne on 19 August 1961, he played for Northern Districts in the 1980s and also represented Poverty…
Ned, a New Zealand snail known for its left-spiralling shell, died on April 15, 2026. Ned was discovered in August 2025 in the garden of Giselle Clarkson in the Wairarapa, New Zealand, while she was weeding. Clarkson had been looking…
Peter Lynn, a New Zealand engineer, kite maker and inventor, died on April 11, 2026, at the age of 79 after cancer. He was born Peter Robert Lynn in 1946 and worked in kite making from 1973. Lynn and his…
Cleighten Cornelius, a New Zealand cricketer and winemaker, died on April 11, 2026, aged 49, in Blenheim, New Zealand, from myeloma. Born in Christchurch on June 2, 1976, he played three first-class and ten List A matches for Canterbury from…
Sir Alan Frampton, a New Zealand agricultural economist, died on April 10, 2026, aged 96. Born in Morrinsville on 2 November 1929, he completed a master’s degree at Massey University in 1964. He was an academic at Massey University from… · 10 April 2026 · April 2026
Ian Rutherford, a New Zealand cricketer who played for Otago, Central Districts and Central Otago, died on April 2, 2026, aged 68. Born in Dunedin on June 30, 1957, Ian Alexander Rutherford played for Central Districts and Otago between 1974… · 02 April 2026 · April 2026
Jack Harliwich, a New Zealand cricketer, died on April 1, 2026, aged 95. Born in Christchurch on July 14, 1930, he was a right-arm medium pacer who played one first-class match for Canterbury in the Plunket Shield competition, against Wellington… · 01 April 2026 · April 2026
Sir Barry John Curtis, a New Zealand politician and former mayor of Manukau City, died in Invalid Date, aged 87. He served as mayor from 1983 to 2007, and when he announced his intention to retire in 2007, he was…
Dallas O'Neill, an Australian rugby league and rugby union player, died on March 28, 2026, aged 83. Born in Mackay, Queensland, O'Neill was an Australian rugby union international who represented Australia in two Test matches. He also played rugby league… · New Zealand · 28 March 2026 · March 2026
Catherine Saunders, New Zealand broadcasting personality, public relations executive and radio producer, died on March 25, 2026, in Auckland, New Zealand, aged 83. Born Catherine Rosaleen Dowling in Dunedin on April 4, 1942, she trained as a teacher before deciding… · 25 March 2026 · March 2026
Andrew Pawley, an Australian linguist and academic, died on March 22, 2026, at the age of 84. Andrew Kenneth Pawley was an Australian–New Zealand linguist who served as a professor at the Australian National University. Born in Sydney on March… · 22 March 2026 · March 2026
John Coley, a New Zealand painter and art critic, died on March 17, 2026, aged 91. John William Coley MBE was born in Palmerston North on 28 January 1935. He attended Palmerston North Boys’ High School and took evening art… · 17 March 2026 · March 2026
Ann Gluckman, a New Zealand educator, writer and historian, died on March 13, 2026, aged 98. Born Ann Jocelyn Klippel in London in 1927, she was appointed principal of Ngā Tapuwae College in 1975, becoming the first woman in New… · 13 March 2026 · March 2026
Trevor McMahon, a New Zealand Test cricketer and wicket-keeper, died on March 12, 2026, aged 96. Born in Wellington on November 8, 1929, he played five Test matches for New Zealand between October 1955 and February 1956. McMahon studied engineering… · 12 March 2026 · March 2026
Nev MacEwan, a New Zealand rugby union player, died on March 11, 2026, aged 91. Born Ian Neven MacEwan in Auckland on May 1, 1934, he was educated at Nelson College, where he played in the 1st XV in 1951… · 11 March 2026 · March 2026
Herbs, the New Zealand reggae group founded in 1979, died on March 8, 2026. The multi-ethnic band featured Samoans, Tongans, Cook Islanders, New Zealand Europeans and Māori members. Led by singer-guitarist Dilworth Karaka, the main founding member who remained with… · 08 March 2026 · March 2026
Nathan Henry Healey, a New Zealand runner, died on March 6, 2026. He specialised in the 3000 metres steeplechase and cross country, won three national titles, and represented New Zealand in the steeplechase at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games. Healey… · 06 March 2026 · March 2026
Philip Trusttum, the New Zealand figurative expressionist artist, died on March 4, 2026, aged 85. Born in Raetihi on June 9, 1940, he moved with his family to Christchurch in 1945, later living in Oxford, Rangiora and Ashley. Trusttum’s interest… · 04 March 2026 · March 2026
Neville Peat, New Zealand natural history writer and photographer, died on March 1, 2026, aged 78. Born in Dunedin in 1947, he was based at Broad Bay on the Otago Peninsula and specialised in natural history, particularly the south of… · 01 March 2026 · March 2026
Robin Jefferson, a New Zealand cricketer and lawn bowls player, died on February 26, 2026, aged 84. Born in Christchurch in 1941, he made his representative debut for Southland in the 1965–66 season before playing first-class cricket for Otago later… · 26 February 2026 · February 2026
Mayor of Timaru, the directly elected head of the Timaru District Council in New Zealand, died on February 15, 2026. The office is the local government authority for the Timaru District and controls it as a territorial authority. There have… · 15 February 2026 · February 2026 · (mayor)
Ray Webster, the New Zealand-born British businessman who served as chief executive of easyJet from 1996 to 2005, died on February 14, 2026, aged 79. Born Raymond Douglas Webster in Greymouth, New Zealand, on 9 July 1946, he was the… · 14 February 2026 · February 2026 · Other
Pip Cheshire, a New Zealand architect, died on February 11, 2026, aged 75. Philip Maxwell Cheshire was one of the founding directors of Jasmax and later founded Cheshire Architects. He was awarded the New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal… · 11 February 2026 · February 2026
Matz Skoog, the Swedish ballet dancer and artistic director, died on February 10, 2026. Born in Stockholm on April 10, 1957, he trained with the Royal Swedish Ballet School. He was artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet from… · England · 10 February 2026 · February 2026 · Other
Anne Gambrill, a New Zealand lawyer and judge, died on February 10, 2026, aged 91. Born Anne Gertrude Shorland in Wellington in 1934, she was the first woman to sit on the High Court bench in New Zealand and the… · 10 February 2026 · February 2026
Selwyn Cushing, a New Zealand businessman and accountant, died on February 10, 2026, aged 89. Sir Selwyn John Cushing was born in Hastings on 1 September 1936 and was educated at Hastings Boys' High School. In 1964, he married Kaye… · 10 February 2026 · February 2026 · Other
John James Terris, a New Zealand politician, Anglican priest and broadcaster, died on February 2, 2026, aged 86. He represented the Labour Party in the New Zealand parliament from 1978 to 1990 and served as Chairman of Committees of the… · 02 February 2026 · February 2026
Tony Pigott, the English cricketer who played for Sussex and Surrey and appeared in one Test for England in 1984, died on February 1, 2026, aged 67. Born in Fulham, London, on 4 June 1958, he was called up as… · New Zealand · 01 February 2026 · February 2026
New Zealand priest and historian · 20 January 2026 · January 2026 · January 20
New Zealand rugby union player (Wellington · 16 January 2026 · January 2026 · January 16 · Grant,
New Zealand public health official · 31 December 2025 · December 2025 · December 31 · Poutasi · Other
New Zealand High Court judge · 26 December 2025 · December 2025 · December 26
New Zealand footballer (national team) · 21 December 2025 · December 2025 · December 21
New Zealand rugby league player (West Coast · 15 December 2025 · December 2025 · December 15
New Zealand drummer (Bailter Space) · 10 December 2025 · December 2025 · December 10
New Zealand cricketer (Auckland) and tennis administrator · 10 December 2025 · December 2025 · December 10
New Zealand cricketer (Otago) · 18 November 2025 · November 2025 · November 18
New Zealand film director (Once Were Warriors · 10 November 2025 · November 2025 · November 10 · Other
New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse · 19 October 2025 · October 2025 · October 19 · Other · Think
New Zealand police officer and television show host (Police Ten 7) · 07 October 2025 · October 2025 · October 7 · Other
New Zealand botanist and bryologist · 05 October 2025 · October 2025 · October 5 · Braggins · Other
Australian TV and radio presenter (MTV (Australia and New Zealand) · 28 September 2025 · September 2025 · September 28
New Zealand cricketer (Wellington · 23 September 2025 · September 2025 · September 23
New Zealand-born British astrophysicist and science administrator · 18 September 2025 · September 2025 · September 18 · Clark · Other
New Zealand-born British actor (The Brothers) · 12 September 2025 · September 2025 · September 12
New Zealand rugby league footballer (Richmond Bulldogs) and coach (Cook Islands · 09 September 2025 · September 2025 · September 9
New Zealand educationalist · 07 September 2025 · September 2025 · September 7 · Harrison · Other
New Zealand biological oceanographer · 29 August 2025 · August 2025 · August 29 · Other
New Zealand nurse and nursing educator · 29 August 2025 · August 2025 · August 29 · Other
New Zealand gerontologist · 28 August 2025 · Koopman-Boyden · August 2025 · August 28 · Other
New Zealand rugby union player (Southland · 28 August 2025 · August 2025 · August 28
New Zealand rugby union player (Mid Canterbury · 25 August 2025 · August 2025 · August 25
New Zealand-born Canadian cinematographer · 19 August 2025 · August 2025 · August 19 · Other
New Zealand sailor and broadcaster · 08 August 2025 · August 2025 · August 8
New Zealand jeweller and entrepreneur · 28 July 2025 · July 2025 · July 28 · Other · Hill
New Zealand reggae-dub producer and musician (Fat Freddy's Drop) · 17 July 2025 · July 2025 · July 17
New Zealand boxing referee · 16 July 2025 · July 2025 · July 16 · Other
New Zealand rugby union player (Hawke's Bay · 29 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 29
New Zealand sports broadcaster · 23 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 23
New Zealand master weaver · 23 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 23 · Other
New Zealand author (Under the Mountain) · 14 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 14
New Zealand businessman and politician · 12 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 12 · Skeggs
New Zealand-born Australian historian and academic · 08 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 8
New Zealand rugby player (Wellington · 07 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 7
New Zealand beauty pageant contestant · 06 June 2025 · June 2025 · June 6 · Other