Ella Wilson - ‘Queen contributor’

‘If you stop, you drop’, is Ella Wilson’s motto, and at 82, her life is sure testament to this.

Still playing her beloved hockey at National Golden Oldies Tournaments, Ella has represented New Zealand with the Otago Evergreens at five World Golden Oldies Tournaments playing everywhere from South America to the UK and Europe.

An Otago Junior Hockey representative player, roller skating was big growing up in Dunedin, Ella breaking the World Junior Record for marathon skating at 14, clocking 32 non-stop hours.

An accomplished competitive ballroom dancer as a teenager in the days of ‘Queen of the Ballroom’ awards, Ella still has friends who call her ‘The Queen’. “I don’t know why,” she laughs. “I have many crowns.”

Badminton, squash, five half marathons and more lately golf have also been a big part of her life.

Ella’s dad was an engine driver on the Railways, and she was the second youngest of five kids. “We had a dairy in Musselburgh growing up and I was a paper girl,” she says. “My sister worked in the dairy and would give me a little treat heading back to school after lunch while my elder brother, who had paper and milk runs, slipped me money for a lunchtime pie and ice cream soda instead of my Marmite sandwiches,” she grins.

After leaving King Edward Technical College, Ella worked at CBA Bank, quickly climbing the ladder and marrying another banker at 21. Two kids followed, moving repeatedly to different branches around NZ.

Always one to volunteer, she began a 59-year involvement with Plunket, culminating as NZ councillor and committee member in Taitā, Lower Hutt, helping young mums, secretary and treasurer in various places. It was disappointing to watch the new head of Plunket disband the 18 volunteer Plunket boards around the country and bring it all in-house in 2017. “I’m very passionate about Plunket. I’ve seen some big changes over the years.”

Hockey has remained a big part of Ella’s life, playing for the Otago Evergreens and as the secretary of the Otago Women’s Hockey Association.

After separating from her first husband in Dunedin where she was back at the bank, a new Sydney bank manager arrived and made her top legal banking role redundant. Ella was offered a family opportunity in Queenstown by her brother Jim Farquharson and his wife Judy, who invited her to be assistant manager of their new Waterfront Apartments.

That was 1995. “Queenstown was strange for a start,” she says. “I was just working and had to start a new life.”

In 1998 she found love again on the side of the road at Omarama in the form of husband Phil Wilson, a well-known Queenstown lawyer competing in the then $10 Challenge fundraising race from Queenstown to Auckland, who needed an urgent ride. “I was driving to Christchurch and a friend had suggested I pick him up,” she says. They married in 2012.

Since then, Ella has thrown her full energy behind the Queenstown community – a Hospice Shop and Baby Box Trust volunteer and Altrusa member. She’s also president and venue coordinator of the Queenstown Dinner Club which was started 30 years ago. “We meet monthly at different restaurants and have speakers and help at Christmas with various charities like Happiness House.”

She’s just been asked to be treasurer of the Wakatipu Senior Citizens Association. “I thought I was too young to go, but to be treasurer I have to pay my sub,” she laughs.

For 18 years Ella did the makeup for Showbiz Queenstown shows, helping wherever she could. “I’m sort of like the wee gofer,” she chuckles. A bit more than that, Ella – a life member.

She led 16 staff at Westpac while working here in Queenstown, followed by six years working for Plunket. Her almost 30 years in banking certainly qualifies her to join U3A. Ella enjoys a small group version of this that her niece runs in Cromwell called ‘The Flourishing Group’.

In recent years Ella has won a Heart of the District Award and last year she began singing lessons with Margaret O’Hanlon. That had to be put on hold after she slipped at home and received a bad head injury, but she assures she’ll be back with a vengeance now that that’s all healed.

“Phil and I love travel, and we’ve just had seven weeks in New York, Scotland, England and Singapore which was marvellous.”

It was while in Scotland at her family’s Farquharson clan reunion that ‘The Queen’ met the King. “Our old laird died at 102 and King Charles came to present our new one with his banner and colours. He shook my hand,” she says, quite chuffed.

Ella’s planning to live until 100, if possible, but in the meantime there’s plenty more to do. “And we have a lovely, blended family with 10 grandchildren and even a great granddaughter, as well as many great friends” she smiles. “It was the best thing I ever did moving here.”