Leo Francis McKendry (born 1934) is a former local politician in the

Marlborough Region Marlborough District or the Marlborough Region (, or ''Tauihu''), commonly known simply as Marlborough, is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, located on the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a distric ...

of New Zealand. He was the 31st and last

Mayor of Blenheim The mayor of Blenheim officiated over the borough of Blenheim, New Zealand. The office was created in 1869 when Blenheim became a borough, and ceased with the 1989 local government reforms, when Blenheim Borough was amalgamated with Picton Boroug ...

(1986–1989), and the 1st Mayor of Marlborough (1989–1995).

Political career

McKendry first became a councillor for Blenheim Borough in 1980, serving for one three-year term. In the 1986 local election, he was elected Mayor of Blenheim. He was the 31st and last holder of that position, as the 1989 local government reforms resulted in the amalgamation of Blenheim Borough with Picton Borough and Marlborough County Council to form

Marlborough District Marlborough District or the Marlborough Region (, or ''Tauihu''), commonly known simply as Marlborough, is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, located on the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a distri ...

. McKendry was then elected the first Mayor of Marlborough and served for two terms (1989–1995). Early in the campaign for the 2010 local election, he stated that past mayors should not stand again as councillors, saying, "I've just always believed it was an unwritten rule once you were defeated or retired, it was time to go completely". Subsequently, Liz Davidson, Gerald Hope, and Tom Harrison, the three mayors who succeeded him, all failed to get re-elected as councillors. In the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours, McKendry was appointed a

Companion of the Queen's Service Order The Queen's Service Order, established by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the pu ...

for public services.

Other activities

In 1962, McKendry competed in the Mobilgas Economy Run, a car race from

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

. He came in third in the 900 cc category. In 2006, he competed in a similar competition, the AA ENERGYWISE Rally, from Auckland to Wellington and return over four days. McKendry was the principal of a car dealership in Blenheim. He holds or has held positions on several bodies, including council member of the

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) is a public tertiary education institution at the top of the South Island in New Zealand. NMIT's main campus is in Nelson with other campuses in Blenheim, Marlborough, Woodbourne and Richmon ...

, trustee of the Marlborough Regional Development Trust, and trustee of the Marlborough Electric Power Trust. McKendry was an editorial team member responsible for "steering the project" on the production of a history for the 150th anniversary of Marlborough. McKendry Park in Blenheim, a former plum orchard in the Blenheim suburb of Springlands, is named in his honour. McKendry keeps himself fit through playing golf. Age Concern New Zealand has profiled him as an example of older people living a healthy lifestyle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKendry, Leo 1934 births Living people Mayors of Blenheim, New Zealand Companions of the Queen's Service Order