Grace Eleanor Kivell
daughter of Grace Eleanor Tasker and Ernest Kivell.
Born 14 December 1911 at Priest's Avenue in Petone. After her father died my mother Grace, and her siblings were boarded out for a time while nana went to work. Nana had a very hard life and a struggle to look after five children on her own. Grace married Robert MacDonald at the Presbyterian Church in Stratford on 30 July 1930. She had left school at an early age and before her marriage was working in a printing office in Stratford. I do not know what her duties were. At the time Robert was Pipe Major of the Stratford Pipe Band and he was employed at the Palmer Road Dairy Factory as a cheesemaker.

They lived at several locations after their marriage including Stratford, Mokoia, Meremere and on Turuturu Road Hawera before moving to 33 Caledonia Street Hawera. Robert, known as Bob worked for several years as a Stationary Engine Driver at the Hawera Hospital. As well he spent many years as a member and piper of the Hawera Highland Pipe Band. He died on 14 November 1974 after poor health due to heart problems. Grace moved into a pensioner flat in 1986. She died in Hawera hospital on 31 July 1992 after many years of ill health. She was a very caring mum and grandmother and a very efficient housewife. Robert and Grace had three children, Josephine, Flora and Robert (known by his second name of Ian).