DEATH ON RUAPEHU

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 243, 11 September 1933, Page 6

DEATH ON RUAPEHU

MR. J. S. L. DEEM. COLLAPSE WHILE CLIMBING. With tragic suddenness, the death occurred on Mt. Ruapehu yesterday, of Mr John Stanley Longton Deem, engineer to the Wanganui City Council, Lid son of Mr J..W. Deem, Director of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, and Mrs J. • Deem, of Palmerston North. Mr Deem was climbing with his wife, Dr. Helen Deem, and Miss E. Rose, matron of the Stewart Karitane Home, when he suffered a heart seizure and collapsed, dying within a few minutes. The deceased gentleman was a man of marked ability and his advancement had been rapid. Born at Waimate, in 1895, he was educated at Hawera ana the Queen’s Park School Wanganui, prior to matriculating at the Wanganui Collegiate School. On leaving college, Mr Deem served his time as a surveyor with Mr H. K. Climie, or Hastings. When the war came bp enlisted and left New Zealand with the 13th contingent, first serving as a noncommissioned officer with the Field Engineers, and later being attached to headquarters in the intelligence and mapping department. Mentioned in despatches, his military career vas marked with success. Returning to New Zealand m 1918, he continued his studies at Canterbury College, where he took his degree both in civil and electrical engineering, gaining the status of A.M.I.C.E. and A.M.I.E.E. His first position was with the W’airarapa Electric Power Board, where he acted a civil engineer and assisted the board in its work of laying out the hydro-electric scheme in 1922-23, working in conjunction with Mr Climie, who was particularly interested in the young engineer. In 1924, Mr Deem took over the post of electrical engineer to the Raetihi Town Board. In April, 1927, he was appointed assistajit-engmeer to the W anganui City Council, andJL2 months later ho succeeded Mr N. Crofton Staveley as chief engineer and was later appointed to the position of tramway manager, his electrical qualifications enabling him to hold that position. Some three years ago, Mr Deem married Dr. Helen Easterfield, daughter of Professor Easterfield, of the Cawtliron Institute. He leaves a small j daughter, Phillippa. A sister, Mrs V. J Rapson, lives at Wanganui with heri husband, who is assistant-engineer to> the Wanganui City Council. A brother J Mr W T . C. Deem, is a solicitor at Ingle-| wood. ,il Much sympathy will be extended toj Mr and Mrs Deem by their manyj friends in Palmerston North in tlwi loss of their son.