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Senior Constable Dean Gifford was farewelled Tuesday from a packed St Mary of the Angels Church in Wellington.
Raised in Berhampore and educated at St Patrick’s College Wellington, Gifford was a tireless charity worker and was publicly known as the “caring cop”.
The Wellingtonion of the Year finalist, Gifford turned his predicament with cancer into a ‘silver lining’, for while in hospital he was struck by children who were only beginning their lives but were in the same situation as him.
Gifford’s life changed and he began regularly visiting the ward bringing along All Blacks, organised through his friend Conrad Smith, police dogs and the national dive squad.
In his homily Fr Peter Head, until recently Police chaplain at the Police National Headquarters, recalled how Dean had loved being a policeman and while with the Police he had made his contribution to trying to make a difference to New Zealand society.
He also paid tribute to Penny, Dean’s wife, for the way in which she had accompanied Dean especially during the last 6 years.
At the end of the church Service, Dean’s son, Carter, aged 7, read a letter he had written to his father.
The police guard of honour on Boulcott Street and the performing of the haka as the hearse left for the cemetery were fitting tributes to the “caring cop” who died of cancer aged 42.
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News category: New Zealand.
