Originally posted in The New Zealand Genealogist October 2016.

The southern region, and the Oamaru Branch in particular, lost one of its stalwarts with the passing of Barbara Pullar on 25 June. She had maintained an impressive commitment to for nearly 40 years, until failing genealogy both locally and nationally eyesight limited her abilities. Barbara (née Hore) was born in Dunedin, the eldest in a family of eight, but lived in North Otago all her life. She was educated at Glenavy and Waitaki Girls' High School, trained as a nurse and worked in the Oamaru Maternity Annexe. Barbara started her own genealogy in the 1970s, in the days when it was necessary to travel to repositories in Christchurch and Dunedin to consult records. She then turned to helping others with their research, a pattern that was to feature over the next 30 years. She joined the NZSG in 1980, and was instrumental in forming the Oamaru Branch in 1981. Barbara was elected as secretary-treasurer on the first committee and remained so until 1987. She served as Convenor from 1989 to 1991 and again from 1998 to 2000, remaining on the committee for most of these years. She was awarded life membership of the Oamaru Branch in 2003. Elected to the NZSG Council in

 1987, Barbara served for four years at a time when Councils were re-elected every 12 months. She was presented with a Merit Award in 1990. She became the South Island School Records Project Advisor in 1990 until 2012. In this period she indexed many local school records, coordinated and supported other South Island branches in the process of indexing from APWs, and recovered replacement records from the Hocken Collection for those local schools which had lost their records due to fire. She received a NZSG Service Award in 2003 for this work.

 A regular attendee at AGMs and conferences, Barbara occasionally contributed papers. She was the convenor of the organising committee to hold the NZSG Annual General Meeting and Research Weekend in Oamaru in 2002, Barbara was the instigator of many transcribing and indexing projects in the North Otago region, especially those completed by the Oamaru Branch. She took a leading role in indexing early North Otago newspapers; was responsible for starting the local Pioneer Register; indexed the Waitaki District's burial records (now on the Council's website); and contributed many Presbyterian marriages (now in the Knox Collection).

She also took night classes in genealogy and contributed to local seminars. She worked at the Oamaru Museum (now Waitaki District Archives) in the weekends over a 10. year period, and answered countless enquiries from visitors. She helped set up the Kurow and Palmerston Groups when they Were formed.

 Barbara will be remembered as an inspirational genealogist and a great helper to others. She was generous with her knowledge and time, and had unbounded enthusiasm with a capacity to encourage others to get involved. The genealogy community in North Otago will be the poorer for her passing.

 Compiled by Roger Washbourn, with assistance from Oamaru Branch members.