Russell Anstiss. Photo supplied.Obituary – William Russell Anstiss, July 4 1938 – September 6 2020.

With the death of Russell Anstiss, the Ashburton District lost one of its greatest advocates and keenest supporters.

Russell, who died earlier this month, was a man who was driven to improve his community and who put his energy behind causes, events and projects that would benefit the place he loved and called home.

He was a founder of the Paper Plus franchise, proud promoter of local retail, stalwart of the Ashburton Hearing Association, founder of Ashburton’s Boulevard Day, a Paul Harris Rotary Fellow, Ashburton Borough Councillor and member of countless community and sporting organisations, but it was as the driving force behind the Ashburton Trust Event Centre’s fundraising team that many will remember Russell best.

If it hadn’t been for the Government’s manpower scheme during World War Two, Russell’s energies may well have benefited another community.

His father, Eric, was manpowered from Waimate to the Ashburton Woollen Mills and that meant the Anstiss family, wife Dorrie and children Graeme, Russell and Maureen, was on the move to Hampstead’s Nelson Street.

Eight years later Eric and Dorrie’s fourth child Marilyn was born and Russell became her proud protector.

As a child Russell was small in stature, but big in volume and presence.

He refused to accept that something couldn’t be done and showed early signs of entrepreneurship, qualities that were to stand him in good stead in the future.

He attended Hampstead School and Ashburton High School.

His first job was in the office of W. H. Collins and Co, but he had his eyes on bigger things.

He was a regular shopper at Pickfords Bookshop and from his early teenage years had made no secret of his desire to buy the shop in the future.

That perseverance paid off, and in 1964 the owner knocked on the door and asked if he was still interested.

He was, and with financial support from his parents-in-law, Foster and Madge Magson, he and first wife Rae found themselves proud owners of a bookshop on Ashburton’s East Street.

At 26, Russell had achieved his first goal and had taken the first steps on a path that would see the establishment of the now nation-wide retail chain Paper Plus. His retail holding in Ashburton grew from the original small store to include the BNZ next door which he demolished to clear the way for the current Paper Plus store.

And over those years his family also grew to include children Suzanne, Tracey and Philip.

In 1983 Russell and four other booksellers decided to establish an independent stationers’ group, originally calling this Nationwide Stationers. The name was changed to Paper Plus in 1990 and by this time there were about 90 stores operating under the brand.

At the same time as he was establishing the national retail chain, Russell became a strong advocate for Ashburton’s retailers, acting as their spokesperson.

He was a strong advocate of keeping retail strength in the town centre rather than it spreading into satellite areas based around big box retail.

During this time he decided the district needed something special to give retail a boost.

He came up with the idea of a market style street day, and Boulevard Day was born. It has now been running for almost 50 years.

In 1974 Russell stood for and won a seat around the Ashburton Borough Council meeting table.

He was successful again at the 1977 local body elections and served six years as a borough councillor. He was delighted to top the poll at his first election.

Ever keen to see his community progress, in 1993 Russell agreed to be part of the Ashburton Performing Arts Centre Theatre Trust, a group established to raise money for a new performing arts centre in Ashburton.

That was to become a huge commitment that would run until the Ashburton Trust Event Centre opened in May 2008.

The suggested six 30-minute meetings per year turned out to be a 15 year major commitment of time and energy that Russell was willing to give.

While retirement was not a word that sat easily with Russell, he decided to step back from his business in the early 2000s and focus more of his time on community activities and his beloved greens at the Ashburton Bowling Club.

He also gave many hours and on-going support to the Ashburton Hearing Association of which he was a life member and president for 20 years.

In 2010 Russell was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for community service.

His family describe him as a man who never did things by halves, who always believed that 95 per cent of your worries will never come to fruition, and who was always positive and enthusiastic and whose passion for life remained strong until his death.

Russell is survived by his wife Olive, his three children and seven grandchildren.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 26 September 2020