A woman of conviction who championed her community has left Te Puna in a better place than she found it.
Jo Gravit – a former Western Bay of Plenty councillor – passed away December 4, nine days after her husband of 60 years Peter.
Jo was a WBOPDC councillor from 2001-2010 but remained an active member of the Te Puna community right up until her cancer diagnosis in September.
When a councillor she was also an the Ōmokoroa Community Board member, and Community Coordination Committee and the Sustainable Communities Committee chair, and part of community volunteer organisation Te Puna Heartland.
Te Puna Heartland member Beth Bowden says once Jo stepped down from council she really rolled up her sleeves and relished the opportunity to get fully involved in the organisation’s work.
“She was Te Puna’s heart and soul.”
Jo rallied the community to ensure Te Puna hall was replaced after it had to be demolished for State Highway 2-Te Puna Rd upgrades.
The late octogenarian also ensured Te Puna had an emergency response plan and a community management plan.
“She was a great believer in practical activity,” says Beth.
Not only would she get things done but she had a way of soothing ruffled feathers, says Beth. “She was always right, but she would always smooth the waters so that people thought they were right too.”
Councillor days
Councillor Don Thwaites worked with Jo on council, but the pair were friends for years prior, and he managed the Gravit orchard when Jo lived in Wellington from 1985-1999.
In Wellington Jo was Federated Farmers women’s division chief executive, having managed her family’s Te Puna dairy farm before it was converted to kiwifruit.
Don says Jo got Te Puna library set up at the school and the footpath on Te Puna and Armstrong Roads were laid because of her advocacy.
“She was a stickler for the detail and an incredible reader.
"She used to read all the reports and be able to speak to everything [in council]”
Don says Jo set the standard pretty high for him as a new councillor.
“When the big debates had come up she loved to quote back to policy, which used to infuriate a few of the other councillors around the table who wanted to have a crack at bending rules.
"She was actually known to break the odd policy herself when it suited her, but in a nice way.”
Peter and Jo Gravit at their 60th anniversary celebration Photo: Supplied.
A great example
Councillor Margaret Murray-Benge, who served two terms on council with Jo, says she was thoughtful, caring, and a good networker.
“She never stopped caring and working for her community.
“She’s a perfect example of a woman who stood up and participated, and a great example to other women to follow on and do the same.”
Born in 1941, Jo grew up in Manawatū.
She was educated at Palmerston North High School, then did a Bachelor of Science at the University of Canterbury.
She became a teacher, married Peter and had four children.
In 1973 she and Peter moved to Tauranga then bought a farm in Te Puna.
She was heavily involved in her children’s lives as well as managing the farm, and was on Te Puna School’s PTA.
“Mum put the kids first,” says son Jonathan.
Biggest legacy
After her stint in Wellington Jo became a member of the Acorn Foundation, part of Tauranga Budgeting Service and her “biggest legacy” – Tauranga Community Housing Trust chairwoman.
Jonathan says his mother wasn’t afraid to make the big calls and the trust expanded and bought pensioner housing in Whakatāne, and Murupara with the Murupara homes sold to iwi.
“She had a strong understanding of that interlinking between health services and iwi services.”
Jonathan says his mum was most proud of being involved in getting an unsealed part SH36 tarsealed.
He describes his mum as woman of conviction, determined to champion people and their needs.
“She left the community in a better place than she found it.”
Jo is survived by children Jonathan, Roanna and Virginia and seven grandchildren.
A celebration of her life was held at Te Puna Memorial Hall on December 13.
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