Ardent, tireless advocate for region

• Published date: 24 July 2021

The wide cross-section of the local population, plus those from much further afield, at her funeral attested to the huge influence Dr Brookes had on many facets of life.

Her exceptional intelligence was matched by her sense of fairness and her kindness to others. These three attributes were a powerful force that Dr Brookes never failed to put to good use.

She was born in Tapanui in 1940, the eldest of Frederick and Lillias Crawford’s four children. Her name was chosen in honour of Helen of Troy and Florence Nightingale, and she was proud to be the fourth Helen in her family line. Her forebears had arrived from Scotland to farm in Dunedin’s Tomahawk area.

When she was just 2 years old and her sister Barbara was a baby, her father went off to fight in World War 2. Upon his return, the family grew to include her brother Ian and sister Lorraine.

In a talk given to the Oamaru Coffee Club, Dr Brookes recounted her formative years in Tapanui. The streets were gravel with no footpaths and the population was largely elderly people, returned servicemen and workers, and single women.

Young Helen would watch her elderly neighbours bake, make pickles and grow vegetables. She was always inquisitive, seeking out anyone who could teach her something new.

Compassion was also a constant. As a 6-year-old she would take meals and baking to people in need in the community. While visiting the elderly, she would marvel at the stories they told of the olden days. Her family said the genuine interest shown by the bright little girl would have warmed many hearts in tough times.

In the postwar years, when Tapanui’s roading and infrastructure was being developed, she followed the workers around to find out how and why they plied their trades.

A love of the outdoors was fostered from the outset. Dr Brookes and her sister Barbara went on numerous adventures in the Blue Mountains. When Ian was 9, they took him on an expedition that ‘‘almost killed him’’ with its length and rigours, his eldest sister admitted later.

Between the ages of 11 and 12, Dr Brookes and her friend Nola Lane would spend all day on 10km treks across the top of the mountains following hunters’ tracks.

Having taken up tennis at school, Dr Brookes dug potatoes in harsh winter conditions to earn money for a racquet. She would remind her own children of this whenever they showed signs of giving up on a goal.

She excelled in the classroom but the school in Tapanui only went up to the fifth form. Her father insisted she...