Tributes are flowing for Bay of Plenty “community champion” and “rare human” Richard Crawford, who died after suffering a heart attack while biking in Rotorua.

The Maketū-Te Puke councillor and former Te Puke Community Board leader passed away Sunday morning after the medical incident on Saturday, Western Bay of Plenty District Council said in a statement.

Chairwoman of Te Puke Community Board Kassie Ellis described the former Te Puke volunteer firefighter as the “epitome of a community champion” and “tireless in wanting the best for his town”.

Ellis said “nothing was impossible” for Crawford, that he never gave up on his mission to “leave this world a better place”.

“Richie, it’s been a privilege. For now, goodbye to our strong leader, community navigator, empathetic listener and friend.”

Maketū-Te Puke councillor Grant Dally said Crawford would be remembered as a “rare human” who cared about those less fortunate.

“The difference was, he got on, did the mahi, mustered people, and created organisations to satisfy needs in the community – and was very successful at it.”

Richard Crawford served a term on the Te Puke Community Board as chairman.

Dally said he met the recreational cyclist in 2012 while working on what would become the popular Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway.

Dally nominated Crawford for Te Puke Community Board in 2019. Crawford served his term as chairman before being elected a district councillor in 2022, and had “really found his confidence and voice in the role”.

Dally described him as an empathetic, inclusive leader keen to forge better relationships with mana whenua and ethnic communities.

“We will miss him.”

The Daily Charitable Trust general manager Chrissi Robinson said chairman Crawford was a visionary for the birth 10 years ago of the organisation, which runs Te Puke’s award-winning social enterprise The Daily Cafe among other initiatives.

The Daily Cafe trustees, from left, Marty and Chrissi Robinson, Andrew Reid and Richard Crawford in 2018. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

She described him as generous, positive and as comfortable making high-level trust decisions as he was “grabbing a tool from the ute to do some maintenance”.

Robinson said he “genuinely loved people” and was the trust’s “schmoozer”, showing endless energy as he took on more challenges in his 60s.

She said he spoke of two passions driving his work with the charity: A desire to leave the town he loved “better than [he] found it”, and his faith and deep personal friendship with Jesus, which she believed he would have wanted other people to know.

Te Puke Community Board members, from left, Tupaea Rolleston, Kassie Ellis, Richard Crawford (chairman) councillor Monique Gray, councillor Grant Dally and Dale Snell.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he held “great respect and admiration” for Crawford, and his passing was a great loss for his whānau and the community.

McClay said they often spoke about council matters and he would “deeply miss those conversations and his friendship”.

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said Crawford was a “fantastic” community leader with “a strong desire to make a positive impact on others”.

Death a ‘huge shock’

Councillors and community board members are “shattered” by news of their “hugely respected” colleague’s death, Western Bay Mayor James Denyer said on Sunday.

“The news of his death is a huge shock, and his passing will be felt keenly by his [council] colleagues … and in the wider Te Puke community.

Richard Crawford served as a volunteer firefighter in Te Puke for almost 14 years.

“His contribution at council and previously on the Te Puke Community Board was significant and his commitment to community organisations in Te Puke was much valued,” Denyer said.

On behalf of the council, Denyer expressed his deepest sympathies to Richard’s wife, Julie, and his family and friends.

’Devastated’ and ‘gutted’

Former Maketū Community Board chairman Shane Beech told the Bay of Plenty Times he was devasted by the loss of his close friend.

“He was such an incredible man who was very caring for the community, and got behind lots of organisations,” said Beech, who ran for a Maketū-Te Puke seat in 2022 but withdrew during the race after a heart attack.

“He was always there at the end of the phone and we had lots of good times.”

Te Puke fire chief Dale Lindsay said Crawford joined the fire service a few years after arriving in Te Puke and served just shy of 14 years as a qualified firefighter before stepping down in recent years as his council commitments grew.

Richard Crawford has been remembered as a community champion. Photo / Alex Cairns

“We are all just gutted and devastated. He was an integral part of our brigade.”

The station flag was flying at half mast and people had placed tributes at the base of the bell tower, he said.

“He did so much for the community all the time. He was a master networker … he would go into a room full of strangers and walk around and start talking to people.”

Lindsay said he was “heartbroken” to hear of Crawford’s death, especially as he led such a “fit and healthy lifestyle”.

“He was the last person we thought we would be saying goodbye to.”

Western Bay of Plenty Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour said Crawford was “one of those solid, reliable people always wanting to do something for the community”.

He said Crawford was a builder by trade and had his own construction company.

How to spot a heart attack

If you or a person you know are experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack below, call 111 immediately.

Pain – which may feel like pressure, squeezing or a burning sensation across the front of your chest. It may spread to your neck, shoulder, jaw, back, upper abdomen or either arm. It may last more than a few minutes.

Palpitations (when your heartbeat is unusually strong, fast or uneven).

Fainting, dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting or shortness of breath.

Note: It’s important to know that not everyone having a heart attack gets chest pain.

They may have only neck, jaw, ear, arm or upper abdominal discomfort.

Some people complain only of shortness of breath, severe weakness, light-headedness, sweating, or nausea and vomiting.

Older people may just seem to be more confused and not complain of pain at all.

- Source: Ministry of Health