George Christopher KORTE

1914 - 1989  (75 years)

• Name	George Christopher KORTE
  Birth	25 Oct 1914	Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Education	07 Feb 1921  [2]
  	Matawai School, Poverty Bay
  Height	1941  [3]
  	5 ft 8 inches
  Military Service	1941  [4]
  	Sargent, Royal New Zealand Air Force
  Weight	1941  [3]
  	148 lbs
  Occupation	From 1947 to 1978  [5]
  	Sheep farmer, Matawai
  Residence	From 1947 to 1978	Matawai, Gisborne, New Zealand   [5]
  Possessions	10 Apr 1947  [6]
  	Purchased Ruanui Station, Matawai, Gisborne
  Residence	From 1978 to 1989	Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand
  Death	09 Nov 1989	Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand   [7, 8]
  Buried	13 Nov 1989	Matawai, Gisborne, New Zealand
  Cremation	13 Nov 1989	Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand   [9, 10]
  Person ID	I6	NZ Genealogy Project | KORTE Descendant, REDPATH Descendant, WALKER Descendant
  Last Modified	7 Feb 2019

  
  

  Father	Frederick William KORTE [Fred],   b. 30 Mar 1883, Kiwitea, Manawatu, New Zealand d. 04 May 1964, Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand (Age 81 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Mary REDPATH [Lizzie],   b. 02 Sep 1890, Tuapeka West, Otago, New Zealand d. 08 Mar 1961, Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand (Age 70 years)
  Marriage	12 Feb 1913	Rakauroa, Gisborne, New Zealand   [11, 12, 13]
  Family ID	F11	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Ethel Mary RUSHBROOKE,   b. 17 Oct 1925, Te Aroha, Waikato, New Zealand d. 05 Sep 2015, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand (Age 89 years)
  Marriage	06 Jan 1951	Te Aroha, Waikato, New Zealand   [14]
  Notes	ENGAGEMENT PARTY The following report from the Gisborne Herald records an engagement party for Ethel Rushbrooke and George Korte. George and Ethel married in Te Aroha in 1951. POPULAR COUPLE ENTERTAINED MATAWAI NEWS Mrs. G. R. Robb and Miss Nancy Robb and Mrs. H. Bulst were joint hostesses at a party - the company numbering over 20 - in honour of Miss Rushbrook and Mr. Geo. Korte. Miss Rushbrook contributed songs, and the hostesses, including Mrs. E. Richards, provided a dainty afternoon tea. Miss Pat Fisher was another guest of honour. Among the guests were Mesdames J. Peddle, N. Nesbitt, F. Mazcngarb. E. Richards, C. Rogers, G. F. and R. C. G. Mortleman, J. Lochead, S. Thompson; Misses Anne and Althea Bulst. F. and L. Clayton-Greene. and D. Picken. Competitions were played and the bride-to-be opened her basket of miscellaneous gifts, assisted by Miss F. Clayton-Greene. Miss E. Rushbrook also entertained with several songs after a delicious afternoon tea had been served. The guest of honour thanked her hostesses and friends for their kind thoughts and gifts, which were much appreciated. The marriage of this popular couple will take place at Te Aroha. Mr. and Mrs E. Richards also, entertained the happy couple at luncheon. Source: Gisborne Herald, 16 August 1950, Page 4 .
  Children	+ 1. Living   2. Living   3. Living + 4. Living + 5. Living
  Family ID	F3	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	10 Sep 2024

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 25 Oct 1914 - Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand Residence - From 1947 to 1978 - Matawai, Gisborne, New Zealand Marriage - 06 Jan 1951 - Te Aroha, Waikato, New Zealand Residence - From 1978 to 1989 - Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand Death - 09 Nov 1989 - Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand Buried - 13 Nov 1989 - Matawai, Gisborne, New Zealand Cremation - 13 Nov 1989 - Gisborne, Gisborne, New Zealand  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  
  

  Documents

  Death notice 1989

  
  

  Headstones		Headstone - George Korte 1939-45, 4506 W.O. G C KORTE, M.I.D., RNZAF, died 9 November 1989 aged 75 years. Plot: Block: RSAAS, Plot #: 104
  		Headstone - George and Ethel Korte In loving memory of George Christopher Korte, 4506 RNZAF WO, 25.10.1914 - 9.11.1989. Ethel Mary Korte (nee Rushbrooke), 17.10.1925 - 5.9.2015. Dad and Mum of Christopher, Robert, Helen, Alison & Ann. Grandpa and Gran of Laura, Anna, James; Gareth, Claire; Nicole & Emily. They gave their today for our tomorrow. Plot: On hill above house at Ruanui Farm, Matawai

  
  

  Histories

  At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

  Album Photos » Slide Show
  		Korte Family 1952 From left Back row: Ivan (Bunny) Buscke, Lloyd Williuams, George Korte, Henry Korte; Seated: Ethel Korte (nee Rushbrooke), Alice (Allie) Korte, Fred Korte, Elizabeth Korte, Joy Korte, Gladys Korte (nee Horsman); Children: Chris Korte, Janet Buscke, Margaret Korte, Judith Korte, Brian Korte, Donald Korte (standing).
  		Korte family 1953 From left: George, Christopher, Ethel and Robert. Photo taken at Ian and Ena Perrett wedding, August 1953.
  		Korte Family at Gisborne A and P Show From left: Geof Slim (live in farm worker from UK), Robert and Chris in front of Geof, Ethel with Alison in push chair, George holding Helen.
  		Korte males 1987 From left: James Korte (George's Grandson), sons Chris and Robert, George Korte

  
  

  Albums		Korte, Frederick and Elizabeth (18) Photos of Frederick William Korte (1883-1964), his wife Elizabeth Mary Redpath (1890-1961) and their children.
  		Korte, George and Ethel (10) Photos of George (1914-1989) and Ethel Korte (1925-2015) and their children.

  
  

• Notes

  BIOGRAPHY George Christopher Korte was born in Gisborne on 25 October 1914, the eldest child of Fred and Lizzie Korte. George grew up on the family farm in Matawai with his brother Harry, and two sisters Alice (Allie) and Joy. He attended Matawai School until he was 12, then attended Gisborne High School for three years, boarding at the Rectory. George returned to Matawai after High School, working on the farm and playing rugby for the Matawai Club in the Motu-Matawai Sub-Union against teams from Motu, Koranga, Rakauroa. He was club secretary in 1936. George obtained work in a wool store in Napier in 1937. He completed a wool classing course at Massey College in Palmerston North. George returned to Gisborne, continuing to work in wool stores, and at the start of the Second World War was living in Ormond Road, Gisborne. George joined the New Zealand Air Force and trained as a navigator in Canada before service in the Pacific. He was mentioned in dispatches after finding the way back to base when others got lost, by recognising an island so he could locate the plane's position and plot a course back to base. After the war George returned to Matawai and worked on the family farm with his father, his uncle Chris having died in 1944. George married Ethel Rushbrooke, a teacher at Matawai School who boarded next door with the Bulst family, in Te Aroha in 1951. George and Ethel lived on the Matawai farm, Ruanui, after they were married. George's parents had retired to Crawford Road, Gisborne in June 1950. George made major improvements to Ruanui, clearing most of the timber left from bush fires, planting new pasture, using superphosphate, and greatly increasing the livestock carrying capacity. They had five children. George was secretary of the Matawai Saleyards Company for many years, an office his father had held before him, receiving telephone entries for upcoming sales. Annually George supplied the Matawai School with a truck load of firewood while the children attended. He was a quiet man who very seldom raised his voice. His main interest was developing the farm. The farm was sold to Robert Korte in 1976 and George and Ethel retired to Gisborne in November 1976. In retirement George spent considerable time back in Matawai assisting Robert on the farm. He died on 9 November 1989 in Gisborne. He was cremated and the family buried his ashes on the farm at Matawai. The Returned Services Association put a memorial in Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne.

  
  

• Sources

  [S2] New Zealand Registrar-General's Office, NZ Register of Births - Indexes. George Christopher Korte #5395 1914 [S447] NZSG Index Version 5, (New Zealand Society of Genealogists Inc., Auckland 2008). [S12] Identity Card. [S12] Identity Card. Department of National Defence Pass. No. NZ413432. Admission to No1 ANS. RIVERS. Issued to George Christopher Korte - Sgt. of No1 ANS. RIVERS. Purpose Temporary Identification Card. Description: Height 5 ft 8 in, age 27, weight 148 lbs, hair light brown, eyes blue. [S8] George Korte, Ruanui Station History. [S8] George Korte, Ruanui Station History. Ruanui Station, Section 9 Block 10 Motu Survey District, Waikohu County. 965 acres. [S9] Death Notice. KORTE, George Christopher - RNZAF Second World War on November 9, 1989, suddenly at Gisborne. Much loved husband of Ethel, and loved father and father-in-law of Christopher and Katherine (Palmerston North), Robert (Matawai), Helen (Auckland), Alison and Allan Ramson (Auckland), Ann and Mel Craig (Melbourne), and loved grandpa of Laura, Anna, James, Gareth, Claire. Aged 75 years. Gisborne Herald Nov 1989. Evans Funeral Services Ltd. [S10] New Zealand Registrar-General's Office, NZ Register of Deaths - Indexes. George Christopher KORTE, 25/10/1914, Gisborne. 1989 #23160 [S9] Death Notice. The funeral service will be held at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Cobden Street, at 11am, on Monday, November 13, followed by private cremation. [S11] email. From: Maureen Harvey [email removed for privacy] Subject: Cemetery Records - Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne. I have copied the following info for you from our burial records. KORTE George Christopher - 13 Nov 1989 (cremated), 75 years, 21 Steed Ave, Gisborne. RSA Ashes Plot 104. Headstone: 1939-45, 4506 W.O. G C KORTE, M.I.D., RNZAF, died 9 November 1989 aged 75 years. [S1] New Zealand Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages, NZ Birth Certificate. Child - Joyce Elizabeth Korte, born 14 Feb 1930 in St Helens Hospital, Gisborne. Father - Frederick William Korte, sheepfarmer, age 46, born Kiwitea, Manawatu. Mother - Elizabeth Mary Korte (nee Redpath), age 39, born Tuapeka West. Married 12 Feb 1913 at Rakauroa. Previous children (ages each sex) - Male 15, 11. Female 9. Informant: F. W. Korte, Father, Matawai. Registered 2 Apr 1930. [S86] New Zealand Registrar-General's Office, NZ Register of Marrages - Indexes. Frederick William KORTE and Elizabeth Mary REDPATH - 1913 #0663 [S162] Papers Past - The Evening Post (Wellington), (Papers Past - National Library of New Zealand), none. [S86] New Zealand Registrar-General's Office, NZ Register of Marrages - Indexes. George Christopher KORTE and Ethel Mary RUSHBROOKE #376 1951