One of New Zealand’s cherished Lawson quintuplets has died suddenly, at just 53.
Shirlene Colcord, the fourth-born Lawson quin, died on June 18.
Her sister Lisa said the family did not want to comment on Colcord’s death.
“Everyone is in shock.”
Colcord was married to Clayton and the couple had three children: Riva, Emmilene and Dan.
Lisa asked for privacy so the family could come to terms with their sibling, wife, mother and aunt’s death.
The quintuplets, Samuel, Deborah, Lisa, Shirlene and Selina, made headlines around the world after their miracle birth in July 1965, to parents Sam and Ann Lawson.
At the time, the quins, born through early fertility treatment, were only the fifth recorded set of living quintuplets in the world.
They have an older sister, Leeann.
The intense media interest, including paparazzi hiding outside their house, put pressure on Sam and Ann, who separated in 1972.
Two years later Ann remarried, but her husband Gary Eyton became violent and abusive and when the quintuplets were 16 he killed Ann and himself in a murder-suicide.
Lisa witnessed the shooting of her mother.
The trauma of losing their mother caused devastating effects and some of the siblings turned to drugs and alcohol to cope.
Slowly the teenagers got their life back on track despite a lack of psychological support.
Colcord was the first quin to marry at 25.
In 2015, they celebrated their 50th birthday with the world through media coverage and a biography, Stolen Lives: The Untold stories of the Lawson quins, written by Paul Little.
Colcord was described in her death notice as a much-loved and cherished wife, mother and aunt and a loving sister.
An early childhood teacher, Colcord lived in Auckland and was laid to rest on June 22 at a funeral in Henderson.
