Peter "Chappie" Steffert, one of the founding members of the Mongrel Mob gang, has died aged 78, according to a funeral notice.
Steffert's family were remembering him as a man who "lived a full adventurous life on his own terms", the notice published by Simplicity Bereavement Services said. The cause of death was not mentioned.
The Mongrel Mob formed in the 1960s, with Steffert helping to start the gang in Wellington.
Initially, the Mongrel Mob was "simply a loose-knit collection of rebellious youth and young men", according to gang expert Jarrod Gilbert.
The club has since become a long-running target for the police, given its involvement with crime including drugs and firearms.
According to the Auckland University paper The Rise of the Patched Street Gangs, 1960s-1970s, Steffert described the group, in the early days, as being "like an unorganised family".
Steffert, born on July 19, 1944, died on Thursday, his funeral notice said.
"Loving father to all his children, moko (grandchildren), mokomoko (great-grandchildren) and whānau," the notice said. "Cherished by his siblings and children."
Steffert was farewelled during a "one last ride" procession and funeral service in Hawke's Bay on Tuesday.
Newshub.
