Who is John Pauwels?

John is the first born son of Dutch immigrants. His parents had suffered terrible deprivations during the second world war, including forced labour and starvation.

First his father, John (Johannes) then his mother, fled to New Zealand after the war to find a better life. His mother, Cornelia flew out from the Netherlands to join her new husband who had sailed out earlier to establish a suitable life for his beloved Corrie and future family.

John was born in 1954 and in short order, four more siblings arrived to fill the small brick home in Hoon Hay that his father had built. Seven people of varying ages and personality in a small three bedroomed home brought significant challenges to John who had inherited his considered and quiet personality from his father. Competition for household resources and food was significant. With three younger brothers and a single sister, John had no choice but to find himself spending the nights double bunking in a small single size bedroom, with the three other boys, and as the years passed - young men. His sister had the luxury of a room to herself.

With only one medium income funding the rambunctious and noisy family, there was no spare money for recreation and pleasure. John found his pleasure and peace when playing in the local stream and walking through the undeveloped fields and hills near his home.

For the first five years of his life, he only spoke Dutch, but as soon as he started school, he was brutally beaten and bullied until he could speak English as well as his peers. Like all Dutch immigrants at the time, he was seen as a second class citizen. He felt the judgement keenly, especially as he initially had a strong Dutch accent as he learnt English.

Although naturalised, his parents were not allowed to vote until after 1960 when the laws changed to remove the discriminatory policies against the Dutch immigrants.

John’s parents were staunch Roman Catholics, and his first schooling was at Catholic establishments nearby. Additionally, for what seemed the longest of times, as sibling after sibling was born, he also spent lonely periods in the Catholic orphanage. John thought his life was predestined to have him remain in the Catholic system and become a priest. But he wasn’t inspired by this life trajectory.

John was an average student. He gave everything a go, tried his best and sat in the middle hierarchy of academic success. He wasn’t a standout in any field - except one – self- determination. He would not let the opinions of others influence his life decisions.

Unnoticed, the all important personal traits of a strong will and determination, had passed from father to son.

By his early teens, scarred by the misery of being boxed in and horribly abused by Catholic Nuns, both in the orphanage and school, he had washed his hands of the religion. His parents had intended for him to complete his education in Catholic institutions, but he wasn’t having a bar of it.

Out of the blue one day, he packed up a portfolio of his schoolwork, wandered down to Hillmorton High School and asked to speak to the principal. He met with the principal and asked to join the school. The principal said the school would be happy to have him, but he would need to have his parents’ permission to swap schools. John knew that wouldn’t be a happening thing and over the next few days he pestered the principal until he said yes.

John left the Catholic institution for good and happily immersed himself in the culture of Hillmorton High School. His parents decided to let his actions pass but they were thoroughly disappointed in what he had chosen to do.

A couple of years later, when John passed his Fifth form (Year 10) exams, his mother treated him to a trip to Wellington to celebrate. John thought they would be going by the overnight ferry between Christchurch and Wellington, but his mum had other plans in mind. She had paid for airfares as a measure of her pride in her oldest child. It would be John’s first flight.

As the Fokker Friendship taxied towards the runway, John was intrigued by the motion of the plane and compared it to driving a car, however, as the plane accelerated down the runway and lifted into the air, he felt exhilaration and had a mind-blowing epiphany – he was going to be an airline pilot. It was as though it was the most natural thing in the world, to be flying, and it was where he belonged – in the deep blue sky far above the turning green lands below.

His sense of joy and discovered destiny came to an abrupt halt when he got home and shared his exciting news with his dad. “That’s ridiculous son, get a trade!” His Dad believed he should become an electrician, a good, honest and reliable career choice. None of this fancy airline pilot nonsense! From his father’s perspective, having an essential trade had saved his life multiple times under the brutal regime of the Nazis. He wanted his son to have the same chance, should political affairs go pear shaped again.

But John was undeterred. He knew what he wanted, and he knew he had it in him to achieve his goal, come what may.

Ultimately, it took nine years from epiphany to starting as a First Officer for Air New Zealand, but he had done it – without encouragement or financial backing.

For the next four decades, he criss-crossed the planet at 36,000 feet in a variety of aircraft – the Friendship, B737, B767 and B777. He never had a moment of regret at his career choice and the work he had to put into it to achieve and maintain his licences.

He retired in January 2018, just shy of his 64th birthday. His flight career was unblemished, and he had clocked up nearly 25,000 hours, more than 17,000 hours in the left seat as captain. Looking back, he feels as though all those years had passed in a flash. He was satisfied and ready to move on to the next era in his life – mentoring and assisting the younger generations that wished to follow where he had spent so many happy years.

Although John loved his flying, he has never been defined by a single interest. His life has been remarkably busy and for decades he has served his community and those in need. He has been a JP for more than 25 years, sponsored children for decades, supports medical research, and is a wedding and funeral celebrant with his fee going to the charity of the client’s choice.

He loves, and is loved by, his daughters, grand-daughters and partner. He bikes, walks, runs, swims and skis. He enjoys coffee catch ups with a wide variety of friends. And with his partner, Melissa, he continues to explore the world, and New Zealand especially.

His life has had its hard and dark moments; but it also gives him joy and he wishes to share the opportunities he has had, with others.