Welcome to Roscommon School

💙🤍🕊️ OUR PAPA SCOTTY

Tuesday 23rd June 2026

Tenā koutou Roscommon Wahanau,

It is with great sadness that we share the news of our beloved Papa Scotty (Scott Pullen-Burry) who passed away earlier this week. Papa Scotty was known to us as our kaumatua, friend of the school, ex caretaker's assistant, and all-round Mr Nice Guy!

Employed from 2014, until he finally retired during the Covid years at the young-at-heart age of 84, Papa Scotty will be remembered for his humility, hard work, helping hands and his genuine love for all who came into his care.

When he was working at Roscommon, you would usually hear him before you could see him, as he was always whistling as he walked around. Someone that always has a happy tune and a song in their heart, is definitely someone you wanted to be around, and that is how both students and staff felt about Papa Scotty.

Papa Scotty often spoke of the love of his life, Maria- his wife who had passed away some years ago. It gives us great peace, that while we will miss him (especially during times like Matariki or Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori where he'd come and help prepare kai etc), we know that he is finally reunited with his loved one.

Papa Scotty's whanau will now take him north to his final resting place in Opononi.

Today we sent a representative group from Roscommon School to farewell Papa Scotty and to show our aroha to his whanau and to thank them for sharing their beautiful uncle and brother with us.

Thank you to all those who passed on their condolences about Papa Scotty. We will also acknowledge his passing at our next school assembly at the end of the term.

As I conclude this panui, I would like to share a couple of excerpts from my end of year principal speech, that sum up what Papa Scotty would often say to and about our tamariki:

"Papa Scotty, one of our school kaumatua, used to say that to me and others whenever he saw something that he thought was good and right in our school…he’d say “Girl, you're too much” Sometimes he’d shake his head approvingly  he’d say”too much” or “too good, too good alright!”. I always knew that when he said that, I or we had done something great, or something pleasing, or something right...

So when in my mind I was complaining, “Yeah sometimes it’s been a bit too much this year”…I’m really glad my spirit stepped in to remind me to think positively when it comes to today’s celebrations…and to focus on the fact that despite whatever is going on around the place, around the motu, the most important and precious taonga to consider and celebrate is right in front of our very noses…that’s you- our people…our kids, our parents, our staff, our board, our extended whanau or aiga, our community. 

You are Tu meke. You’re too much. You’re that..…good- Too-Much. Or like Papa Scotty says, you're too much Roscommon whanau…too much…too good… too good alright!"

Papa Scotty, you were too much- the good kind of 'too much'. You were 'too good', and you went around being that, and telling that to us all.

Thank you for your service, your friendship, your aroha and so much more. You will be missed for sure!

Moe moe rā to mātou kaumātua. Aroha nui.

Roscommon Whanau

Ngā mihi,

Sonia Johnston (Principal)