New Zealand's oldest man dies at 108

Sir Lloyd Geering, New Zealand's oldest man, died at the age of 108. His family reported his death occurred on Thursday morning at Bob Scott Retirement Village in Lower Hutt.

Geering, a theologian and member of the Order of New Zealand, was knighted in 2009. He was once tried for heresy by the Presbyterian Church in the 1960s after denying the immortality of the soul and the physical resurrection of Jesus.

The church eventually withdrew the charges, and he later established religious studies at Te Herenga Waka / Victoria University. His family noted that his work as principal of Knox College in the 1960s changed how many New Zealanders viewed Christianity.

Geering married three times and had three children. His family described him as a person of integrity, humour, compassion, and goodwill, and expressed gratitude for his long life.

Born in Rangiora during the final days of World War I, Geering's family did not have electricity for the first 25 years of his life. He became New Zealand's oldest man in 2025 after the death of Jim Easton.

A private natural burial will take place at Wellington's Natural Burial cemetery in Makara, with a public memorial planned.