Gudex Memorial at Sunset by Michael Jeans (a local Cambridge Photographer): 2002
Michael Christian Gudex was born in 1887 in South Canterbury. Michael gained an MA and MSc. Michael became ill with poliomyelitis in 1915 and was left with impaired mobility. He wrote gardening articles for the Waikato Times newspaper from 1918 to 1963. These articles were particularly aimed at the home gardener. He also did a radio show on 1XH from 1949 to 1963. Michael was a teacher at Hamilton Boys High School for over 30 years. Mr Gudex published an English text book. He married Emilie Sinclair in 1911 and had two sons and a daughter. In 1955 eleven and a half acres of land were added to the Maungakawa Scenic Reserve near Cambridge. This land became known as the Gudex Memorial Park and in 1968 a stone obelisk was unveiled to the memory of Michael Gudex for his services to horticulture and preservation of New Zealand’s natural resources. He was awarded the MBE in 1962. Michael died on 9 February 1964.
