Dr Peter Jarvis, who died on 9 September 2025 aged 85, was a long-serving Lincoln University staff member (1972 - 2008) part of an influential group of plant scientists at Lincoln University who gave modern scientific definition to their discipline as it evolved out of plant husbandry under the focus of Professor Reinhart Langer and Dr Jim White in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Peter was one of three plant scientists recruited from the UK to strengthen the new direction of plant research and teaching at Lincoln. His immediate British colleagues were Mike Smetham (1967) and Dr Roger Field (1970). At Lincoln, they joined, among others,  Kiwis Dr Warwick Scott (1970) and Dick Lucas (1971), and Australian George Hill (1972).

Peter, who started at Lincoln in 1972, was a classically trained plant physiologist in the British tradition, but in New Zealand, he enjoyed combining his laboratory work with the active fieldwork typical of the Lincoln way.

Department research themes taken up by Peter included the exploration of nitrogen fixation by subterranean and white clover in dryland cocksfoot pastures, and he published papers in this area, co-authored with department colleagues.

As a lecturer, Peter was noted for his amazing memory, remembering personally all the names of students in his large first-year classes, long after they had moved on in their studies and careers.

Outside of his research and teaching, Peter contributed to the sporting life of the university through an enthusiasm for rugby. He was both a coach and rugby club captain, and at times refereed inter-class matches.  His contributions to rugby were acknowledged with the award of Life Membership of the Lincoln University Rugby Football Club.

Peter also voluntarily supported environmental initiatives on the campus, including roles with the award-winning EnviroSchool programme, which brought cohorts of secondary students to the university for vacation time courses and field trips.

In the community, Peter had an enthusiastic association with the Springston Pony Club through his daughters and was a past president.

Peter held BSc (Hons) and PhD degrees from the University of London and was accompanied to New Zealand by his wife, Dr Sue Jarvis, a secondary teacher, well-known for her Lincoln EnviroTown work and as an environmental educator.

The funeral for Peter is at Lamb & Hayward, 467 Wairakei Road, 2.00pm, Friday 19 September, 2025.