Cliff Houston, Diocese of Waiapu Registrar from 2006 until 2012, died on Wednesday (15 October) after a long illness. 

Cliff was a big man. You knew when he was in the room. You even knew when he was in the building. 

He was a man of faith, with a commitment to the Anglican Church that went deep and profoundly affected his approach to his work.

Although not always subtle or even gentle in his manner, Cliff will be remembered with wry affection because he could be kind and thoughtful and his door was always open. And he got the job done.

Gisborne vicar Joan Edmundson sums up this strength: “It was Cliff who, reading the fine print on our insurance policy for St Luke's, realised that most of the cost of earthquake strengthening the church, to bring it up to Gisborne District Council requirements, was covered by insurance.

“He saved us all endless amounts of worry and fundraising, which we would still probably be doing. Thank you, Cliff.” 

Cliff came to New Zealand from England in 1970 having met Judy, now his wife, in London where he was working in accounting.

He came to Waiapu as Registrar from being a Chief Executive in local government, a field he had worked in for most of his career, apart from a short time running his own business. 

From this experience, he brought an understanding of the need for structural reform to the diocese. Reshaping the relationship between Anglican Care and the diocese was one of his concerns, as was the need to look at new ways of structuring small parishes in rural Waiapu. 

Growing up with a Catholic mother and Anglican father, at about the age of 15 or 16 (after his father’s death) he became disillusioned with the Catholic Church and took 20 years to come back, this time as an Anglican. With all the enthusiasm of the convert.

After six years working in Waiapu, he and Judy moved down to Waikouaiti in Otago at the end of 2012. 

He was a reluctant retiree. He would have preferred to continue for several years in the work he loved but increasing ill health forced him to accept that he could no longer offer the energy and time that the role demanded.