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Chronicle
2015-2016
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4910
Aged 89
Mervyn
Henry Vile
Merv was born in Dunedin on 4 November 1926,
the eldest child of Dorothy and Arthur Vile.
The family moved to Christchurch in 1928. He
attended Christ’s College in Condell’s House from
1939 to 1943.
Merv became a chartered accountant,
specialising in farm accounting, particularly
in farm estate planning. He was originally in
partnership with Gordon Gilchrist, and later with
Lindsay Stowell, until that partnership became
part of Kendons.
In 1950, he married Margaret (Meg) Treleavan and
subsequently they had four daughters, one of
whom died in early childhood. Meg died in 2006.
Merv was involved in numerous community
activities. He was one of the original members
of Round Table in New Zealand and, in 1961, was
elected national president. He was a trustee
and council member of the NZ Neurological
Foundation for 22 years from 1972. He was proud
to be the only South Island trustee and also
really appreciated the way trustee meetings were
able to coincide with important rugby games in
Auckland. In the late 1950s, he joined the finance
committee of what was then the Aged People’s
Welfare Council (now Age Concern). He supported
that for over 40 years. He was also a very active
member of St Barnabas Church, Fendalton. Over
a period of some 60 years, he was a sidesman,
auditor, parish treasurer and vestryman.
Merv was a keen sportsman. He was a
passionate follower of rugby, but also enjoyed
cricket and was quite a keen social tennis player.
When he was young he was a keen tramper and
cyclist and knew most of the South Island like
the back of his hand.
He was a keen gardener, although while Meg
was able, there was a distinct demarcation
between his vegetable gardening and her flower
gardening. Once she became too frail, he was
forced to take over flower duties as well which
he found a little disconcerting as he had limited
knowledge of the difference between a weed and
a self-seeding annual. His resulting scorched
earth policy was not always favourably received.
Merv’s health started failing in 2015 and, after
a fall in early 2016, he was unable to manage at
home so went to Homestead Ilam where he was
lovingly cared for until his death on 12 October
2016. He is survived by his daughters Jan, Judy
and Katie.