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New Zealand politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Frana Grace Cardno CNZM QSO JP (née Srhoy, 29 January 1941 – 23 April 2015) was a New Zealand local-body politician. She served as Mayor of Southland District from 1992 until 2013, becoming the longest-serving female mayor in New Zealand's history.
Born in Hokitika on New Zealand's West Coast in 1941,[1] Cardno was the daughter of a Croatian immigrant,[2] Anthony Srhoy, and his wife Lilian Caroline (née Honey). Cardno moved to Mid Canterbury as a young child,[3] and attended Lowcliffe School.[4] She became a kindergarten teacher.[5] After marrying Murray Cardno in the late 1960s she moved to Te Anau. The couple had three sons and adopted a daughter.[6]
Cardno served on the Te Anau Community Board for 11 years, and then three years as a Southland District councillor, before being elected mayor of Southland District in 1992.[7] She retired from that role in October 2013 prior to that year's local elections,[7] and was New Zealand's longest-serving female mayor ever.[8] She was a strong opponent to the proposed Fiordland Monorail, which was rejected by the government in 2014.[9][10]
In 1993, Cardno was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.[11] In the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.[12] Cardno was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local government in the 2014 New Year Honours.[13]
Cardno was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in June 2014 and was given four months to live.[7] She had fallen ill while visiting her son and family in the United States.[14] She died at her home in Te Anau on 23 April 2015.[15]
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