Mere Mete Whaanga

Mere Mete Whaanga (February 15, 1848 – May 11, 1944) was a pioneer and missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in New Zealand. She was a leader of the Maori Ngati Kahungunu tribe and helped to spread the gospel in her area after being baptized by American missionaries. The efforts of her and her husband, Hirini Te Rito Whaanga, hundreds of members of their tribe were baptized. Mere and Hirini became vital to LDS work in the area. She moved to Salt Lake City in 1984, where she stayed until the death of her sister-in-law, besides a year-and-a-half mission back to New Zealand. Mere returned to New Zealand before eventually returning to Salt Lake City to be buried next to her husband. She died on May 11, 1944, at the age of 96.

Biography Mere was born in Nūhaka, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, to parents, Hachem Schmidt and Parapara Kurekure. Her name is the Maori pronunciation of "Mary Smith". Together, the couple had three daughters and a son. However, one daughter and their son did not survive past childhood. The Whaanga family were some of the first Maori tribe members to be baptized, and they were followed by more than 200 members of their tribe in several weeks. Upon moving, Hirini and Mere ordered that their house in Nūhaka be used as a home for the missionaries. The couple spent most of their free time doing ordinance work in the temple. Mere remained active in the LDS Church into her old age. At 95 years old, Mere made a quilt for LDS Church president Heber J. Grant as a birthday gift, however it was in honor of her own birthday and not his.

Death Mere died on May 11, 1944, at the age of 96. She was buried at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, next to her husband Hirini.