Father Kevin Mears, a Wellington based Marist priest, died at Kaikoura Hospital several hours before he was due to conduct a Christmas Eve service. He was 81.
Stuff.co reports Mears had spent about 12 years in Samoa. He arrived in 1963 and taught at Chanel College. Mears was known for his energy and stamina which saw him return frequently over the years working on various projects for the college.He also had strong ties with Wellington's Samoan community.
