Rosie Horton

Dame Rosemary Anne Horton (née Moon; 21 August 1937 – 14 May 2023) was a New Zealand philanthropist. For more than 40 years she raised money for New Zealand organisations, many of which focus on sick children and women.

Biography Horton was born in Christchurch on 21 August 1937 to Olga (known as Bill) and Ellis Moon and grew up in Ashburton. Her mother died of breast cancer in February 1963.

In her late 20s, Horton worked in the library at UEB, a large corporate business in Auckland. She was also the founding chair of the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, and had contributed to Women's Refuge, the SPCA and the Salvation Army.

In 2014, Horton and her husband established the Michael and Dame Rosie Horton Prize at the University of Auckland to remember New Zealand journalist and writer, Marcia Russell.

Horton and her husband's second home was in Australia and they collected over 300 pieces of contemporary Aboriginal art. The collection will be donated to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

Honours and awards In 1990, Horton received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service. In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service. In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to philanthropy.