Dorothy Pauline McNab (née Lamason; 8 December 1921 – 8 August 1995) was a New Zealand women’s military administrator, political organiser and community leader.

Early life

McNab was born Dorothy Pauline Lamason was born in

Napier Napier may refer to: People * Napier (surname), including a list of people with that name * Napier baronets, five baronetcies and lists of the title holders Given name * Napier Shaw (1854–1945), British meteorologist * Napier Waller (1893–19 ...

, New Zealand, on 8 December 1921. After her father died, she left

Napier Girls' High School Napier Girls' High School is a state secondary school on Clyde Road, Napier, New Zealand. It is one of the oldest schools in New Zealand for girls, and has a current school roll of about 1000. History In July 1883 plans were submitted to the b ...

early and became an administrator. She joined the New Zealand Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) clerical division in 1942 and went overseas as part of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt and Italy. She married Tom McNab in 1947, and the couple went on to have two sons.

Political and professional life

McNab joined the

New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party ( mi, Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa), shortened to National () or the Nats, is a centre-right political party in New Zealand. It is one of two major parties that dominate contemporary New Zealand politics, alongside ...

in 1950, and in 1966 she became a Dominion councillor for Balclutha. She provided advice to politicians including Prime Minister

Keith Holyoake Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, (; 11 February 1904 – 8 December 1983) was the 26th prime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also the 13th governor-general of New Zealand, serving from 1977 ...

. In 1976, she was the first woman to chair a division and become a vice president of the National Party. During the 1970s and 1980s, McNab served as a board member on the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, chair of the ''

New Zealand Listener The ''New Zealand Listener'' is a weekly New Zealand magazine that covers the political, cultural and literary life of New Zealand by featuring a variety of topics, including current events, politics, social issues, health, technology, arts, f ...

'' and the New Zealand Lottery Board.

Honours and awards

In the

1979 Queen's Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 1979 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The appointments were made to celebrate ...

, McNab was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to the community. She was awarded the

Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du jubilé d'argent de la reine Elizabeth II) is a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The medal is p ...

in 1977, and the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993.

References

1921 births 1995 deaths New Zealand National Party politicians New Zealand military personnel of World War II New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 20th-century New Zealand politicians People from Napier, New Zealand People educated at Napier Girls' High School New Zealand women in World War II 20th-century New Zealand women politicians {{NewZealand-politician-stub