Obituary: Dr Tamsin Hayter (1926-2010)
Golden Bay lost a stalwart professional and a valued community member with the recent passing of Dr Tamsin Hayter.
Tamsin was a general practitioner in the Bay between 1968 and 1986, a member of the Nelson Hospital Board and the Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council. Born in Leicester, England, she received her medical training at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. She came to Golden Bay, at first practising alone, and later with Doctors Pearson and Kingston.
At Tamsin’s funeral last week, Dr Helen Kingston described her as a valued mentor and role model.
“Tamsin had great skill, dedication and expertise in GP as well as maternity work,” said Helen in her eulogy. “Huge changes took place in medicine over her professional life, but this didn’t faze her. The basics of listening to the patient’s story and examining them remained her core, and her wisdom and intelligence meant that she could take the scientific and technological advances in her stride. She could save a life in a crisis, but the astute diagnosis she made during her day-to-day work could also save lives.”
Tamsin is remembered and respected by former patients as an effective and astute practitioner. People also speak fondly of her big voice.
A former receptionist at the medical centre, Betty Manson, said that Tamsin was lovely to work with.
“People might have found her a bit reserved but when you got to know her she was just lovely,” said Betty. “She had a great sense of humour too.”
Longtime colleague Dr Arthur Pearson said that Tamsin was the reason he came to Golden Bay.
“I worked with Tamsin for over 20 years in complete harmony with never a cross word. She was absolutely genuine and down to earth, a no-nonsense person who called a spade a spade, but always with good reason. We helped each other when called to major medical crises. After retirement she would come back to work for short periods so that the remaining doctors could have holidays. She will be remembered with fondness and gratitude by many in the Bay,” said Dr Pearson.
Apart from her demanding work as a GP, Tamsin was more than willing to develop new interests and to take up new challenges. At one stage, she decided to learn to play the violin, and played for some time with the Golden Bay Orchestra.
She also took up painting. She went out with a friend to produce local scenes. A trip to the Mackenzie Country produced paintings from her Pylon Period.
From her Burnside Road deck, she used to look out at the night sky, so she bought a telescope and astronomy texts so that she could study the solar system. Philosophy also became a fascination. This led her to Massey courses, culminating in a BA. This interest also took her on trips to Greece, Turkey and Egypt. Much later on, she shared her knowledge with the U3A Comparative Religions course, sometimes leading the discussion, and always arguing well.
Tamsin worked on her beloved garden at Burnside Road, developing it over 44 years. Visitors received a well-conducted tour of what was new, doing well, or not doing quite so well.
Her dogs too provided an opportunity to go to Rototai Beach for both exercise and bird-watching.
Tamsin was bitterly disappointed when she fractured her femur last year and had to leave her Burnside Road home.
Tamsin’s brother John Lee, said, “Tamsin truly loved Golden Bay, its people and its environment. She gave so much to this community, and established very special relationships here.”
Neil Wilson
