Fidelity Life BDM Dies in Car Accident

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Long-time Fidelity Life Business Development Manager, Cary Veenhof, has died at age 53, following a road accident on 20 June.

“The tragic death of Cary Veenhof is being felt keenly by colleagues past and present with whom he shared his 16-year career at Fidelity Life,” an obituary release from Fidelity Life stated.

In Memoriam: Fidelity Life BDM, Cary Veenhof

Veenhof’s death follows another tragic road accident which took Asteron Life’s Executive Manager, Life Distribution, Mark Frecklington’s life earlier this year.

“Cary possessed a great deal of accountability and integrity, and always treated others with respect. As a result, Cary quickly earned people’s trust and many of his colleagues saw him not just as a workmate but as a friend,” the obituary stated.

“Cary was dedicated to his advisers and was happy to work long hours; he was often the first to arrive at work and the last to leave, and it wasn’t unusual to find him in the office on Saturdays,” it continued.

Veenhof joined the insurance industry in his native South Africa in the 1990s, moving to New Zealand with his partner Mark Brown in 2001. They married in New Zealand in 2016.

“While Cary’s professionalism and sense of style are perhaps his best-known traits – he was seldom seen at work without a tie – his dry, understated sense of humour often surprised people,” the obituary stated. “This was often expressed through his advocacy for diversity and equality issues and many staff members can recall Cary greeting them for the first time with a cheery: “Hi, I’m Cary and I’m gay.”

“Cary will be sadly missed by his colleagues, advisers and peers across the industry. He would have wanted us to get on with things and look after his advisers in the highly professional and respectful way that was Cary’s trademark. That’s exactly what we’ll do to honour him.”

Veenhof’s celebration service will be held on Friday 29 June at 11am at the Aotea Centre, NZI Room, in Auckland.

The insurer noted that, in lieu of flowers donations can be made to Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ or Paw Justice – Pet Rescue. Click here to make a donation.