Hundreds gathered at Matamata Bible Church on Wednesday 12 August to celebrate the life of Beth Bay, who died on August 8, 2026, aged 72, after suffering two strokes.
Beth’s family, friends, and church community remembered her as a woman whose faith shaped every part of her life, from family and farming to music, administration, hospitality and quiet practical care.
Born Doris Beth Hunt in 1953, Beth gave her life to Jesus at a Foxton Beach mission in January 1960 and was baptised at Kingston Street Chapel in Palmerston North (now Kingston Community Church). This early commitment shaped the rest of her life.
Beth excelled at school and was named dux at her primary, intermediate and secondary schools in Palmerston North. She went on to study at Massey University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science.
While at university Beth met Stuart Bay—the beginning of a beautiful and dynamic partnership. They married in 1974 and they headed north. Before settling at the family farm, they spent time at Assembly Bible School in Kelston, Auckland, learning biblical languages and theology. Principal Neville Taylor called her the best Greek Language student he ever taught.
The Bays then settled into life on the family farm in Manawarū, and Manawarū Chapel became Beth’s spiritual home. There, she spent decades serving her family, her church family, and the wider Christian community, including the Open Brethren Heritage/CCCNZ movement.
Beth was a loving mother to her two sons, Erin and Daryl. “Beth was a beautiful mother,” her family recalled. “She was tender and loving, selfless and kind, not to be crossed, but utterly sacrificial in her approach to family life.” She was also determined to make family life an adventure, embracing hunting, fishing, rugby and the outdoors. For many years, she organised annual family trips to Stewart Island, as well as tramps, and hunting trips. Her love for adventure became another way of drawing her family together and creating memories.
Beth was also a loving and adventurous grandmother to Isabella, Eva, Samuel, William, Jackson and Hunter—passing on her love for the outdoors and sharing her deep love for Jesus with each of them as they grew.
For more than 40 years, Beth played the organ, piano and keyboard for worship at Manawarū Bible Chapel, diligently preparing and leading Sunday services. Her contribution was not simply musical. Longtime friend Andrew Archer described Beth as “the glue of Manawarū Chapel,” as she faithfully helped create and embed the regular rhythms of church life.
Beth prepared, paid and presented the church’s accounts for more than four decades, effectively acting as a proxy treasurer for Stuart, who formally held the position. This same meticulous service extended to Hillview Trust, where she handled its accounting functions for a similar length of time, and to Longview Taurima Hostel, where she served as trustee treasurer. Her approach to this administrative work was exacting but deeply practical. She was passionate about seeing God’s kingdom grow, and kept this big picture in mind as she faithfully carried out this work with a servant-hearted attitude.
This combination of competence and humility characterised much of Beth’s life. She could manage complex finances and business, but she was equally willing to visit someone who was lonely, fold someone else’s washing, or sit and chat over coffee.
She also had a particular gift for welcoming people. She deliberately sought out newcomers, helping them feel valued and becoming a dependable friend to those who had few friends. Her kindness was practical and personal. She loved people enough to notice them.
That same commitment extended beyond Manawarū Chapel. In the 1990s, Beth worked with a team to establish Longview Taurima Christian Hostel in Hamilton, providing accommodation for first-year university students with an emphasis on nurturing faith and community. Later, she was instrumental behind the scenes in the opening of the Community View Centre and Café 77 in Manawarū, reflecting her continuing heart for the community around her.
She loved numbers enough that she continued tutoring high school students in mathematics, helping struggling students achieve grades and confidence. Even there, her role became “part counselling, part maths.” She used her gifts to build people up.
Beth’s life reminds us that much of the work that sustains a church is rarely visible from the front. It happens through faithful prayer, careful administration, thoughtful preparation and quietly making sure that things are done well.
Beth’s son Daryl and daughter-in-law Julie finished Beth’s eulogy with these words:
“She took so little for herself and gave so much to others. As the love of Stuart's life, Beth has provided a rock and refuge and hope to so many of us. Beth was a devoted and faithful wife, contributing more than her fair share to a couple who have achieved so much.
“Today, we honour her life in which she drew no attention to herself and all the attention to her saviour, Jesus. In truth, Beth lived to be forgotten so that Jesus would be remembered. Her life was defined by Christ and his gospel, his death and resurrection.
“And through her, we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, that he can be trusted, and that he is worth any sacrifice we make in this life. But today, we remember her with wholehearted love and deep, deep grief, as we say goodbye and commit her to the Lord.”
The above is adapted from Beth’s funeral service. To view the full service: https://vimeo.com/1216723628/d841bafbfa
