By Dan Parker
Businessman Lloyd Morrison, founder of Intratil and part owner of the Wellington Phoenix football club, left behind a pre-recorded message which was played at his funeral in Wellington today telling mourners they should be happy and celebrate his life rather than his death.
Carried out on the shoulders of his brothers and close family, Lloyd Morrison's body was taken from the Town Hall to be cremated.
Before that though, he had one last piece of advice for his five children and the many hundreds who attended his funeral.
“You have to be really happy because I’ve had a good time,” the message said.
Mr Morrison died of leukaemia two weeks ago in Seattle.
“Even through his disease, Dad always stood strong and tall. When someone said to him you need to slow down he never took a bar of it,” says his daughter, Ottilie Morrison.
“He knew that he’d given his all and you can’t ask anymore of a person that that and when he died a few hours later it was on his terms,” says his brother Rob, who was with him when he died.
The Prime Minister, who worked with Mr Morrison in banking in the 80s, also spoke at the funeral.
“Lloyd will be remembered for his passion for this country. He loved New Zealand, he was proud of New Zealand and he didn’t mind showing it,” says Mr Key.
Mr Morrison was the founder of Infratil, a campaigner for a new national flag like the one which flew over his funeral, and was well-known for encouraging Kiwis to do better in business.
He was aged 54.
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