Following the death of Nelson tomato-growing pioneer Tony Romano on 21 April, aged 86, Kate Russell looks back on the life of the much-loved family man, community stalwart and one of the region’s original commercial Isle of Capri tomato growers whose legacy helped shape Nelson’s “Little Italy”.
There was a time in Nelson’s The Wood when tomato growers compared crops, swapped advice and tried to outdo each other with morning tea spreads – and right in the middle of it all was Raffaele Antonio ‘Tony’ Romano.
Tony was a familiar face in Nelson’s tomato-growing community, whether working long hours in the glasshouses, helping customers at the family fruit and vegetable shop, or lending a hand at the Italian Club.
Born on August 27, 1939, Tony was the son of Cataldo “Jim” Romano, one of the Italian immigrants who helped build Nelson’s thriving tomato industry after arriving in New Zealand in 1925.
Like many children from Nelson’s Italian gardening families, Tony grew up surrounded by glasshouses, hard work and a close-knit community where everyone knew one another.
But despite his upbringing, tomato growing was not always part of the plan.
After finishing school at St Joseph’s and Nelson College, Tony took a job at a bank where he was quickly promoted, eventually moving to Levin.
Then came the deal that changed everything.
Tony told his father he would return to the family business if his trip to Italy to attend the 1960 Rome Olympics was paid for.
That trip not only brought him back to tomato growing — it also introduced him to his future wife, Gemma Casa.
According to family, Tony told a friend the day he met her: “I am going to marry that girl.”
And he did.
The couple went on to share 65 years of marriage, raising four boys while building one of Nelson’s best-known tomato-growing businesses.
Together, Tony and Gemma took over the family gardens around 1964, first selling vegetables from the gate before expanding into a much larger fruit and vegetable shop further down Grove St.
Tony quickly earned a reputation for thinking big. At one stage, he was growing more than 30,000 tomato plants and became one of Nelson’s first commercial growers of Isle of Capri tomatoes.
He was always willing to try new techniques, from introducing electric heating and root grafting to using bees for pollination and growing tomatoes in bags of pine sawdust rather than soil.
Gemma says life in The Wood’s tomato-growing community was about much more than growing vegetables.
Families worked side by side and supported each other in the glasshouses, in what she describes as “the good old days”, when everyone contested to make the best morning tea spread.
When Tony retired, his late son Nick, along with his wife Bettina, took over the tomato-growing business in 2003, relocating some of the glasshouses to their Cable Bay property.
But Tony remained closely involved, passing on his knowledge and sharing the tricks of the trade.
Outside of work, he devoted significant time to the Nelson community.
He served on committees for St Mary’s Parish, the Hibernian Society, St Joseph’s School, the Nelson Bowling Association and the Italian Club, where he held every executive position over a 25-year period.
He and Gemma also volunteered with St Vincent de Paul, delivering food to those in need.
For many Nelson Italian families, Tony was also the man behind the Super 8 camera at weddings, carefully filming and editing special moments for friends and relatives.
Family members say he had a strong sense of duty and always wanted to help where he could. Even after stepping back from full-time work, retirement never fully suited him.
He continued helping in the glasshouses for years and remained deeply involved in community life.
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2017, Tony faced the illness with determination, staying active through walking groups, boxing classes, tai chi and bowls.
Family say he rarely complained and continued trying to make others smile, even during difficult times.
After a lifetime spent working, volunteering and supporting others, Tony leaves behind a strong presence that will be missed by many in Nelson.
