Richard Rangi Wallace QSM (1945 – 6 January 2024) was a New Zealand Māori Anglican bishop. He served as the second Pīhopa o Te Waipounamu (Bishop of Te Waipounamu), from 2017 until his death in 2024.
Richard Wallace | |
|---|---|
| Te Pīhopa o Te Waipounamu | |
 Wallace in 2009 | |
| Province | Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |
| Diocese | Te Pīhopatanga o Te Waipounamu |
| Installed | 21 January 2017 |
| Term ended | 6 January 2024 |
| Predecessor | John Gray |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Rangi Wallace 1945 Little River, New Zealand |
| Died | 6 January 2024 (aged 78–79) Wairoa, New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Spouse | Mere Wallace |
| Children | 5 |
Biography
editBorn in Little River in 1945 and bapisted at Ōnuku Church near Akaroa, Wallace was of Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe and Waitaha descent.[1][2][3] He was raised by his grandparents in an Anglican and Rātana household, and was educated at Motueka High School.[4] Aged 17, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), and served as an aircraft technician for 11 years.[1][4] During his time in the air force, Wallace met his wife, Mere, and the couple went on to have three daughters and a whāngai son.[4]
After leaving the RNZAF, Wallace lived in Christchurch, and worshipped at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Phillipstown.[4] In 1987, he was ordained a deacon and later that year made a priest, before being appointed the first Māori missioner in Nelson in 1989.[4][5] He spent 12 years in Nelson, becoming a canon in 1997, before moving to Hokitika when he was appointed archdeacon of Te Tai Poutini.[1][2]
In the 2009 New Year Honours, Wallace was awarded the Queen's Service Medal, for services to Māori.[6]
Following the death of John Gray in 2015, Wallace was nominated at the electoral college of 23–25 September 2016 to be the second Pīhopa o Te Waipounamu.[2] He was duly consecrated at Ōnuku Marae on the shores of Akaroa Harbour on 21 January 2017, and installed at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Phillipstown the following day.[5][7]
Wallace also served as upoko of Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio.[2] He died at Wairoa on 6 January 2024.[1][8] Wallace was one of the kaumātua for the RNZAF, and his body was returned to Christchurch on an air force Hercules aircraft.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Lynch, Chris (6 January 2024). "Anglican Bishop Richard Wallace has died". Chris Lynch Christchurch's Newsroom. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d Clarke-Morris, Julanne (8 October 2016). "Kāi Tahu bishop for the south". Anglican Taonga. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- ^ a b MacDuff, Keiller (8 January 2024). "Right Rev Richard Wallace, Anglican Māori bishop for Te Waipounamu, dies". The Press. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Brankin, Anna (3 July 2017). "The good bishop". Te Karaka. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ a b "New Maori bishop for the South Island". The Press. 22 January 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2009". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "Bishop Richard, installed". Anglican Taonga. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
- ^ MacDuff, Keiller (7 January 2024). "Right Rev Richard Wallace, Anglican Māori bishop for Te Waipounamu, dies". The Press. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
