A Tribute to Dr. Hilary Janet Serena Stace

Dr. Hillary Janet Serena Stace

19.02.1954 - 03.07.2025

Join us for a gathering of reminiscences and celebration of Hilary's life.

Hilary was a tireless supporter of many, many people, a devoted partner to Martin Sullivan, mother to Serena and Oscar, a caring sister and aunt and a wonderful friend

Hilary lived in Wadestown almost all her life and is well known in that community. Hilary was a trained librarian, historian and researcher. She was a lifelong Labour party supporter.

In 2011 she completed her PhD, on Autism and Public Policy, at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.  She wrote and delivered many papers on disability issues (with a particular focus on autism, ethics and eugenics), contributed articles, chapters and book reviews to many publications online and in print. Hilary was also a supervisor for Masters and PhD candidates who were studying in the area of disability

In collaboration with former Labour party MP for Invercargill and disability advocate for the IHC, JB Munro, Hilary wrote and published a biography titled JB Munro : Community Citizen (2019). At the time of her death, Hilary was working on a biography of Janet Fraser (1883-1945) the wife and the strength behind the second Labour Prime Minister Peter Fraser (New Zealand Prime Minister 1940 -1949). Hilary had been awarded a Friends of the Turnbull Library research grant in 2023 for this project, and she gave a public presentation at the National Library on Janet Fraser that year. 

Hilary gave evidence in her capacity as a disability researcher and historian to the recent Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions in New Zealand. In collaboration with the Donald Beasley Institute, Hilary also conducted research in the area of disability and abuse in state care as part of the Inquiry.

Hilary acted as an advocate in many other forums. She regularly wrote letters to the editor about the many issues she believed needed to be raised. Her last letter to The Post was published on 27/6/2025, the week before she died, and is typical, terse and to the point,

“Why is the Government making historians redundant and closing the library at Manatū Taonga Ministry of Culture and Heritage? In The Post (June 19) the Minister Paul Goldsmith, said the cuts had to happen, but gave no reason why. Is it because the Government does not want students and the public learning our Aotearoa NZ history? Is it to pay for tax cuts for the weathy or the tobacco lobby? These valuable public servants have an influence far beyond the ministry providing resources and vibrant databases about our often unknown and neglected history, and such work has been funded by governments for decades. These job losses are very distressing on top of the recent redundancies and funding cuts at Archives NZ and the Turnbull Library. As a trained historian the minister should champion the profession, not decimate it. H STACE, Wadestown”.

Ironically, Hilary gave her last lecture posthumously, in a pre-recorded video on the topic of 'Eugenics and History' to the International Congress of History of Science and Technology (ICHST) at Otago University, Dunedin on 4.7.2025, the day after she died.

And yet there is so much more that Hilary did.

Join us as we come together for 'A Tribute to Dr Hilary Janet Serena Stace' on Tuesday 5th August, 1pm to 4pm.

Please get a free ticket by Tuesday 29th July, as this will give Hilary Stace's family an indication of the numbers who may attend and an indication for the caterers. Tickets will remain open after this time.

Watch this space for the online livestream link.

Event is wheelchair accessible.