A legacy of learning
Obituary Jan Habib (18.4.1935-10.8.2025)
By Chris Marshall
Jan Habib
Longtime Tauhara College staff member Jan Habib has been remembered as not just a teacher but an educator in the broadest sense – and someone who played a role in the founding years of both local colleges.
She was passionate about education, colleague of many years, Jill Williams, said.
“She loved teaching and learning. Over the years she put a great deal of time into nurturing her students and guiding them towards academic success.
“She took great pleasure in seeing Tauhara students achieve… and was immensely proud of those who went on to succeed at university and in their future careers.”
At her funeral nephew Michael Fooks also recounted her curiosity and excitement at researching the family whakapapa and her enthusiasm to “tell of what she had learned.”
He also recalled adventures in her white VW beetle, well known around Taupō - the car seemingly as indefatigable as its driver, providing new experiences and exploration.
Born to Alfred Charles Lindsay Fooks and Mary (Marie) Dunbar Fooks, a family with links to the South Island high country and many generations of civil engineers, Jan was the eldest of five followed by: Jacqui, Lindsay, Angela and Christopher.
Jan Fooks in her graduation gown.
When her parents moved north from Roxborough, where her father, known as Lindsay, had worked on the hydro scheme, to Mangakino initially while they waited for a house to be built and then Wairakei where in 1952 Lindsay became project engineer for the Wairakei Geothermal Power Station, Jan stayed behind to board at St Hilda’s Collegiate School in Dunedin.
From there she attended Otago University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Politics before attending teacher’s training college.
She returned to Taupō for her year’s section at a country school (Taupō District High School – on the same site as Taupō Primary School), before heading back south to begin her teaching career at St. Hilda’s.
However, the death of her mother leaving her father with three young children to raise – sister Jacqui having just married – altered this course.
Sister Angela Wood: “In those days it was not uncommon for young children to be adopted out if their mum died, but Dad promised Mum he would keep them at home and keep them together.”
However, his job at Wairakei was more than eight hours a day and often involved night callouts with weekends also frequently disrupted by visits from the likes of well-drillers.
Selflessly, said Angela, Jan gave up her developing adult life in Dunedin to move to Taupō to take care of her younger brothers and sister, and become hostess to those who just turned up.
She also began teaching History and English at the newly opened (1960) Taupō-nui-a-Tia College.
In the mid-1960s she took a job at Christchurch’s Linwood College to reunite with sisters Jacqui and Angela by then both resident there, taking younger brother Christopher with her.
Returning to Taupō in the early 1970s, she was married briefly to marine biologist and researcher George Habib (1943-2013) and the couple had a son.
When in 1976 Tauhara College was opened to take the pressure off a burgeoning Taupō-nui-a-Tia, Jan was soon recruited by foundation principal Norm Pointon, finally retiring in 2013.
Her most high-profile role there, said Williams, was leadership of the unique programme, implemented by Pointon, that integrated English and Social Studies under the title of Humanities. It was taught for eight periods a week by one teacher, Year 9 to Year 11, and also uniquely for its time was internally assessed, as much of NCEA is today.
Jan embraced this vision of Humanities and put enormous effort into developing the programme.
“It was a great disappointment to Jan when it was replaced by a more conventional curriculum,” said Williams.
Jan had an impressive knowledge of the geography of the volcanic plateau and geothermal matters – thanks to both her father and brother Lindsay being geothermal engineers.
But her greatest love was history, said Williams, from Medieval plagues to the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand wars, the effects of colonisation and the fascinating characters of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Her acquisition of books was legend with Michael quipping he was sure those in her house exceeded the space available “in some Dr Whovian defiance of physics.”
Current Te Reo Māori teacher Atareta Simmonds who regarded Jan as a mentor, called her a woman with “a heart of gold” and a passion for helping Māori students succeed.
Her involvement extended also to helping make the tukutuku panels at the school wharenui – in the country’s first state school marae, and she was also a part of the original organising committee of the Tūwharetoa Festival, along with Te Ururoa Flavell.
Jan’s hui which involved an overnight stay at the marae for every Year 9 student to learn about native trees and rongoa, saw her cooking for each class. A duty she did on her own for many years, finally letting others help so she could sit outdoors teaching about what she loved, said Simmonds.
“I was often asked if Mrs H was Māori, because of her connection to the Māori Department and her love for our marae. She was the little white Māori lady who you would always find at the marae.”
Jan’s was a life well lived, said Williams in her eulogy, not for self-gratification, but for a selfless and noble purpose.