I first met Gary in Tokyo around 33 years ago. He was amongst a group of gaigin martial artists living in Ikebukuro. My judo friend John (Kiwi) Robertson introduced us and we hit it off right away. Gary was always something of a character.

Gary moved to England and stayed for a while with Terry O'Neill in Liverpool. I received a letter from Gary asking for budo photographs for his friend who was going to start a magazine. I sorted out a few dozen photographs and air-mailed them.

Whenever his friends got together someone would spin a yarn about Gary and mimic his way of talking. We all liked Gary and never forgot him even though he was at the other side of the world.

On my infrequent visits to Liverpool we would meet up at Terry's house. The last time that we met was about five years ago and he looked the picture of health. He was talking about buying a yacht and sailing the Pacific where his ancestors came from.

I was extremely surprised and saddened at his demise. It seems that he was in a bad way but too proud to let his friends know. An anemones friend from his Tokyo days paid for a specialist but it was too late to save him. The same friend paid for Gary's body to be shipped back to New Zealand accompanied by Gary's lady friend.

Tokyo 2002

12/03/01 - The Maori legend Gary Spiers passed away peacefully in his sleep from a heart attack aged 57. Gary will be sadly missed by his many friends within the Karate world.