Farewell Bob
I had noticed that Bob Petelin’s house was for sale. Seeing him later I asked where he was going . “to heaven I hope” he replied. Bob has a terminal illness. In the meantime he is ‘going home’, in his case to Trieste, Italy.
Bob came to Martinborough in the second wave of vineyard developers establishing a vineyard on Huangarua Road which he called The Rooster Vineyard. The vineyard produced both red and white wines with his flagship being a very good red labelled ‘Rooster’s Blood’ . The vineyard is now Shubert’s Wines.
A printer by trade, Bob also set up a printing press in his garage where he did a lot of printing for local companies and organisations: labels, dockets, advertising etc. He also printed several books including the book on the Fire Brigade’s history published to mark it’s centenary and the book recalling Wharekaka’s history.
Bob was always interested in local affairs, both financially involving in local businesses, and serving a stint as a District Councillor . He was noted for his tenacity in pursuing items or decisions he didn’t agree with. It would be fair to say that at times he got under some of his fellow councillor’s skin.
Friends remark on his generosity, he enjoyed giving whether it was a bottle of wine, a grape vine he had propagated, a memento gift or to help by printing at cost.
Your memory will always bring a smile, thanks Bob
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