Rudi Milesi, the famed Patea Gardener of his garden ”Chriesi Wald “. A Life Member of the Hawera Repertory Society , died on 20 October in his 95th year. Rudi was raised at Mangatoki on his father’s farm and, in his late teens sent off to Patea by his father Rudolph to work at the Patea Freezing Works where he was employed in the accounts department throughout his working life. Rudi was also held in high regard at Patea by local Maori and directed the musical POI E for Dalvanious Prime and the Patea Maori Club with the title song Poi E. Rudi proudly drove a purple sports Triumph Stag.
Rudi was also a founding member of the early Taranaki Gay Liberation group & listed as a contact in Patea.
