Te Arawa’s very own queen of rock has passed away.
Beatrice Piatarihi Tui Yates (nee Grant), affectionately known as ‘Aunty Bea’ passed away in her Rotorua home after a recent cancer diagnosis. She was 78.
Aunty Bea was known for her contribution to children’s education as a teacher for 50 years.
She taught both at Rotokawa Primary School and Rotorua Lakes High School. One of her students was the towering Kiwi basketballer, Steven Adams.
Family spokesperson Auroa Rikiti says, “She will be missed dearly by her whānau, whāngai and all those that have been touched by her love, and those who fell in love with her.”
She was also a keen haka performer for over sixty years and a manager for local shows at the Distinction Hotel, which led to her flying overseas to perform haka and represent Māori.
In 1980, Aunty Bea became a popular Tina Turner impersonator, performing for charity to raise money for cancer patients. Her career as an entertainer ended in 2016. However, her involvement in community work continued.
She helped establish the Whakapono Health Trust which continues to support the Rotorua Dialysis Unit.
Aunty Bea was a loving wife to Albert Yates for 55 years and a mother to the late Victor Yates, Hohepa Yates and Wahanga-a-Rangi Yates Wright.
The funeral service will be at 10am Sunday 9 September at Te Takinga. The nehu will be at Puhirua Urupa.