Popata, Gene Hyrem

5/19/2025

It is with the heaviest heart we inform you of the passing of Gene Hyrem Popata.

Sunrise: 26/03/1986
Sunset: 18/05/2025

Loving partner of Raywyn Maxwell. Beloved dad to Kaleb, Neisha and Rosalee. Son to Waimania and Donkey. Brother to Tintia and Tamaho. Uncle, cousin and friend to many!

You left us painting the sky red with rainbows for your babies, leaving us only memories.

Haere ra, te piku kotuku o matou whanau moe mai ki to moenga roa! Farewell, the rare and treasured one of our family, rest now in your long slumber.

Forever in our hearts!

Gene will lie at 21 Lahore Street, Wairoa from Wednesday, 21/5 until Friday, when a service will be held at 11am followed by cremation at Gisborne.

If you wish to make a koha, please use the details below and include a name as the reference:

R K Maxwell
01-0782-0024751-02

9 Comments

Sue Popata

5/19/2025 04:51:22 pm

You where like a brother to me gene my cuzzy I no we haven't seen each other for a long time but I'm always thinking and talking about u. Fly high my cuz say hi to ur favorite uncle up there love u my cuz

Tara Collins

5/19/2025 05:11:03 pm

Sending you my love Raywyn, I cannot begin to imagine your pain. Wishing you and your babies lots of love and comfort in a time you really need it. Love you Xx

Tini

5/19/2025 10:15:30 pm

LOVE YOU ALWAYS KAHI , 💓 Thank you for always being hearty, hail the love me an kids x

Puutu Stacey & Whanau

5/19/2025 11:09:38 pm

Gone too soon cuzie/little dad, Sending all our love to Raywyn and the kids fly high cuz paint the sky RED. Heartiest 🤙 & heilz from your KAWERAU TETEKO WHANAU 🤙❤️

Sheryl Thomas

5/20/2025 12:59:44 pm

I bet you’re getting an earful from Grandad Tommy right about now. If his grumpiness had calmed it will be back in full force for you his pain in the butt moko. I never got to Thank you for helping him when he needed you. And just know if he wasn’t a grump to you he didn’t love you. He loved you heaps aye Gene🤣🤣 Rest with the best. See you soon♥️ Huge love to your beautiful Raewyn and kids♥️

Tiopira Whanau

5/20/2025 04:20:27 pm

Sad hearing about your passing my cous.
My heart goes out to his beautiful partner, his tamariki, Aunty Wai & Uncle Donks, and the cousys Tint & Tamaho what a road it’s been for youse the past month I can’t imagine the pain you’re all feeling. Sending you so much love & strength during this time.
Rest easy, my cous. You’ll be missed.

Eden Ngaheu

5/21/2025 01:27:40 am

Iv written this 1000 times and cried every time I try to write the rest but here it goes. To my cousin Gene, from the day I was placed on this earth you were there we lived with you at your guys house on the corner of Forbes Place and River Rd. I remember you being a big brother figure to not only tint but me as well so it was cool to act like I had an older brother. I’m so sorry I didn’t get to see you as a adult my cousin we were planning on coming home at the end of this year and I was going to bring my babies to come meet their famous uncle Gene. I told my partner all about the trip I was planning and told a couple of the other whanau too I wanted to surprise you. We love you our whanau I may not be there but I am in spirit Love you always cousin/Big brother ❤️

Hakopa-Crawford Whanau link

5/22/2025 02:46:32 am

It has been many years since seeing our cuzzin Gene but even when years go by, we greet our cousins like no time has passed. We will never forget you cuz. Your memories will remain with us forever.

"The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief - But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never knowing love."

Condolences to our aunty Wai, uncle Donkey cuzzins Tint and Tamaho and to Raewyn and the tamariki.

Moe mai I roto I nga ringaringa a te atua cuzzin Gene

Noray

5/24/2025 09:04:23 am

Big hugs ray ray.

death notices