Board Chair Sally Webb leads
tributes to former Board Member
Gail McIntosh
A woman of huge integrity, values and
commitment is how Board Chair Sally Webb
remembers former Board Member Gail McIntosh.
Gail passed away early in the New Year after losing her battle
with cancer, aged 62. Her memorial service was held at the ASB
Baypark Arena and was attended by around 300 people. She
served as an appointed BOPDHB Board Member for six years
between 2010-16.
“Gail was always determined to do her best in whatever she was
doing, hugely committed,” said Board Chair Sally Webb, who
spoke at the memorial service. “She had her own strong set of
values and was very much a straight talker. Gail was actually quite
a private person but did so much public work for the people of
Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty.
“After her first battle with cancer she also became that much more
aware of the patient’s view of the health system which, in turn,
added great value to the work she undertook as a Board Member.
As an accountant she also took a keen interest in ensuring the
financial side of side of things was being correctly managed.
“She brought great energy to everything she did,” added Sally.
“She was a woman of integrity and will be missed.”
Chief Executive Helen Mason recalled that Gail had been a
hardworking, dedicated Board Member.
“A number of staff members have been remembering the
questions Gail would pose, showing a keen interest to ensure
she understood the topics, and to ensure that the approach being
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taken was robust,” said Helen. “She was passionate about making
a contribution, and supporting the DHB to be the best it could be
for our community.”
Gail McIntosh was born in June 1955 to a dairy-farming family
near Woodville, the second of four children. After completing
secondary school she studied accounting in Wellington and drove
trolley buses and taxis in her spare time, buying her first house at
age 22.
She would go on to travel the world, become National's MP for
Lyttelton, start her own accountancy business, become a member
of the BOPDHB Board, be elected to Tauranga City Council and
meet partner Jim Plowright.
Gail successfully overcame cancer twice - in 2012 and 2015 - but
in November last year discovered it had returned. She spent her
last months continuing to work for the causes she cared about,
even as her health deteriorated. Speaking at the memorial service,
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said Gail had been too ill to
attend some of the council's last 2017 meetings in person so did
so - and cast her votes - via speakerphone.
Gail McIntosh’s Public service
- 1990-1993: MP for Lyttelton (National)
- 2010-2016: Member of the BOPDHB Board
- 2013: Elected to Tauranga City Council
- 2016: Re-elected to Tauranga City Council for a second term