Rosie Horton

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Rosie Horton
Horton in 2019
Born
Rosemary Anne Moon

(1940-03-25)25 March 1940
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died14 May 2023(2023-05-14) (aged 83)
Auckland, New Zealand
Known forCharitable and philanthropic work

Dame Rosemary Anne Horton DNZM QSO QSM (née Moon; 25 March 1940 – 14 May 2023) was a New Zealand philanthropist. For more than 40 years she raised money for New Zealand organisations, many of which focus on sick children and women.

Biography[edit]

Horton was born in Christchurch on 25 March 1940 to Olga (known as Bill) and Ellis Moon and grew up in Ashburton.[1][2] Her mother died of breast cancer in February 1963, when Horton was almost 23.[1][3]

In her late 20s, Horton worked in the library at UEB, a large corporate business in Auckland.[1]

Horton was a founding trustee of the Starship Foundation and Friends of Starship in Auckland.[4] She was also the founding chair of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, and had contributed to Women's Refuge, the SPCA and the Salvation Army.[5][1]

In 2014, Horton and her husband established the Michael and Dame Rosie Horton Prize at the University of Auckland to remember New Zealand journalist and writer, Marcia Russell.[6]

Horton and her husband's second home was in Australia and they collected over 300 pieces of contemporary Aboriginal art. The collection will be donated to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.[1]

Personal life and death[edit]

Horton was married to Michael Horton, her second husband,[1] who was the managing director of newspaper and magazine publisher Wilson & Horton until 1995.[5]

Horton died in Auckland on 14 May 2023, at the age of 83.[7][8]

Honours and awards[edit]

In 1990, Horton received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[9] In the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.[10] In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.[11] In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to philanthropy.[5][12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Bailey, Judy. "Dame Rosie Horton is New Zealand's charity queen". Now To Love. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Births". The Press. 26 March 1940. p. 1. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Cemetery record enquiry". Ashburton District Council. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Friend and fundraiser extraordinaire". www.starshipstars.co.nz. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "A volunteer for life". Stuff. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Michael and Dame Rosie Horton Prize - The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  7. ^ Martin, Hannah (15 May 2023). "Late philanthropist Dame Rosie Horton remembered as an 'incredible force'". Stuff. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Dame Rosemary Anne Horton". The New Zealand Herald. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  9. ^ Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers. p. 458. ISSN 1172-9813.
  10. ^ "No. 53334". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 12 June 1993. p. 39.
  11. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2004". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2011". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2020.