Thursday 2 February 2012

Anna (Mary) Yandall

YANDALL, Anna (Mary). Always beautiful, kind and caring with a voice of an Angel and a heart as big as the world. You will be greatly missed by everyone whose lives you touched. Our love and our prayers go out to Adele, Pauline and families. Billy T (deceased) and Lynn James.

Published in The New Zealand Herald on February 1, 2012
Anna Mary Yandall


YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Passed away peacefully at 1:41am on Monday 30 January 2012 at Auckland Hospital, surrounded by her family. Darling second daughter of the late Nova Shirley (Phineas) and Tanuvasa James Alfred Yandall. Beautiful and much loved sister of the late Caroline, Adele, Pauline, Dan, Graham, Josephine, Elizabeth, Mark, Ben and their families. Anna Mary will lay in state at the family home. Her funeral service will be held at the Pacific Islanders Presbyterian Church, 2 Edinburgh Street, Newton, Auckland on Friday 3 February 2012 at 10:00am, to be followed by interment at Waikumete Cemetery. All communications to: 021-0829-6833 or 021-211-7089. Nick Bakulich Funeral Director

Published in The New Zealand Herald on January 31, 2012

Mary Yandall
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YANDALL, Mary Dearly loved niece to Bill & Mema and much loved cousin to Willie, Blanche, Wayne, Peter, Sylvia,Tim & families.A wonderfully brave & vivacioius woman who always gave selflessly.We will miss you a lot, but forever treasure the love and laughter.

Published in The New Zealand Herald on February 1, 2012

Mary Yandall


YANDALL, Mary. To our dearest cousin Mary, the suddenness of your departure from us is unfair. However we rejoice in the memories you have left us with. We recall the stories you would tell us in the backrooms of Dryden Street, while our parents would be upfront laughing and enjoying each other's company. Lasting memories of a larger than life person, with a strong voice who always made us proud. You will be missed but not forgotten. Love the Ioanes, Uncle Sefulu, Aunty Josie, cousins John, Sam, Frances, Eddie, Sandra, David and families.

Published in The New Zealand Herald on February 2, 2012

Mary Yandall

YANDALL, Mary. Forever in our hearts. Love Aunty Ida and Uncle Bill Smith and family.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Passed away on 30th January 2012. Now in the presence of the Lord you loved so dearly. Faithful to your God, your parents, your loving family and your craft. Mary, you too were taken too soon but forever loved by your cousins Nova, Nolan, Edgar, Laumatau and families. Beloved niece of both the late Galumalemana Fred and Caroline Reid. Manuia lou Malaga.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. To our dearest and greatest Aunty Mary. We love and miss you so much but we know you are in safe hands reunited with Mum, Dad, Aunty Carol and the loved ones who were called on before us, with and in the kingdom of God. Words can't describe who or what you are to us because your smile says it all. You have touched many hearts with your grace, joy, wisdom, amazing vocals and more. Thank you for always being there, sharing your unconditional love and support. Glad we had our share of amazing laughs, special moments and memories with you. Rest pain free, easy and in heavenly peace. Until we meet in paradise Aunty Mary. In the words of you and Grandpa - amazing. Lots of love, God Bless you, Ben, Lesley, Benjamin and Patricia - the Ng family.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. A true soldier for God and family. Our loving sister's final days were spent peacefully and with grace. Her smile lighting up the room every time a pineapple iceblock appeared. A life in the service of the Lord gave Mary great pleasure and Mary's great talents gave the rest of us joy. Dear Mary, from stand up shouting to prolonged hugs, we had a true and loving relationship with you. You helped us embrace the family, showed us that respect is shared and how God keeps our family together. You had the strength of your convictions; your help with Dad in his last years was beyond measure. We love you and will miss you deeply. Our family choir has one less angelic voice but the Heavenly Choir is the richer. We will always love you Mary, your brothers Mark and Kavin.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Dearest Aunty Mary, gone too soon, but so happy for the time we shared with you. Although you had no children of your own, you were a mother to us and raised us from when we were babies. Your passion for music, your family and your God is truly inspiring and you are truly a great soldier of God. Not a day will go by that we don't think of you, and know you are rejoicing and singing in heaven with Nana, Grandpa and Aunty Carol. Always in our hearts until we meet again, manuia lou malaga, the Solomonas.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. To our darling sister and aunty, Now that God has called you home, we can rejoice that you are now at peace. We shall cherish your legacy of faith and indomitable will in the face of adversity. You will be forever missed, not only by those who loved you, but the many that have been touched by your voice. Forever in our hearts. Vesi, Phina, Leona, John, Laumatau, Jane, Jerry and young David and Darius.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. Dearest Mary, even in adversity your spirit was strong and you sang praises even as your body faltered. You leave a huge hole but your love and courage is forever etched on our hearts. Till we meet again. Your loving brother Graham and Caroline.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. May the angels be singing as they greet you at heaven's gate. Dan and Kathleen, Daniel Jnr and Charlotte, Anita, Delia, Karina Yandall. Rest In Peace.

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. To our most beautiful lady. (Aunty) Mary, it has always been our honour and privilege to serve and care for you in our home. You have touched our family with such a deep and rich love like no other that only God will see us through the pain of your absence. Thank you, our gifted, talented, hard-working, humble, fun-loving, big- hearted, dedicated, darling sister and aunty. We have been enriched and encouraged by your faithfulness, love, and the precious time that we have shared. In every song we sing we will hear your voice, and in every moment of laughter we will feel your spirit within, lifting us and guiding us. Praise God for His blessings showered upon us through you. Go to your Lord and Saviour. You have longed for this day Mary. Well done, good and faithful servant. Deepest love and cherished moments 'til we meet again. Pauline, Keith, Mark, Luana and Aaron Prictor. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith." 1 John 5:4

Published in: New Zealand Herald
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
YANDALL, Anna Mary Coralie. We praise God for the life of our precious sister and aunty Mary who left us yesterday to join God's heavenly choir. I'm sure you'll be singing up a storm there Mele! Our lives will never be the same without you sis, but we have so many cherished memories of you, as a singing sister, doting aunty, head of our family and faithful servant of God. Dryden St will never be the same without you either, but we are assured that you're in a wonderful place now which God has prepared for you, with our loving parents, sister Caroline and Bob. Thank you for always being there for us and for all your hard work in keeping our family together. Thank you for the constant fun and laughs we had as the Yandall Sisters. Thank you for your strength and courage which inspired so many others and for your warm and gracious heart. We love and miss so much already. Until we meet again darling sis and aunty, Adele, Andre and Stephanie and Martin Paris.

Published in: New Zealand Herald

Music scene farewells Yandall sister

A who's who of the Kiwi entertainment scene will gather in Auckland on Friday to farewell one of its own.

Anna - better known as Mary - Yandall, a key member of the Yandall Sisters, has died aged 62.

A funeral will be held at the Pacific Islanders' Presbyterian Church at Newton from 10am.

Mourners will include veteran crooner John Rowles who took to the stage with Mary, Adele and Pauline numerous times through the 1970s.

"They were a united team that worked for every prominent performer in the country through those years," he says.

"They always had a lot of love in their hearts and were a great support to me as back up singers on many occasions - probably the best I've had."

"It always came so naturally for them... they always knew what they had to do."

The Yandall sisters were born into a Samoan family and started performing with another sibling, the late Caroline, as children at Sunday school and various private functions.

Their first recording was in the mid 1960s but they shot to prominence around 1972 as cabaret act - heading to Australia shortly after the release of their first single.

A return to New Zealand in 1973 saw the Yandalls - by now a trio - picked up as a backing group for a number of high profile acts.

The sisters appeared on stage with entertainers including Mr Rowles, Billy T James, Prince Tui Teka, Dalvanius Prime and Sir Howard Morrison in the years that followed.

They performed at a tribute concert for Sir Howard after his death in 2009.

The Yandall Sisters recorded numerous singles and released their own album, Up Front in 1976.

Sweet Inspiration, released in 1974, was their biggest hit and stayed in the top charts for over three months.

The sisters won the New Zealand Entertainer of the Year Award in 1977 and enjoyed growing popularity as a regular live act and on television well into the 1980s.

Rowles recorded Hawaiian Wedding Song as a duet with Mary in the early 70s and the pair performed it live during a concert in 1974.

"She was such a beautiful girl," he says. "And she never changed. She was always kind and a little mischievous in such a wonderful way.

"I am very sad to know she has gone but she does leave behind such a great legacy."

Yandall will be buried at Waikumete cemetery.

MATTHEW GRAY MATTHEW GRAY
Last updated 10:10 01/02/2012

Yandall Sisters