Grieving father’s road plea
Jackie Carrie’s quiche was delicious, her smile infectious and her generosity knew no bounds.
Now, following the former Stratford High School student’s death in a car collision near Palmerston North last week, Jackie’s father, Steve, has urged motorists to be careful and slow down for the sake of family members gathering for Christmas.
Having a loved daughter die in a motor car accident close to Christmas was indescribable, Steve Carrie said.
Jackie, 27, a baker at the Majestic Tea Bar in Palmerston North, was travelling to work when she was killed in a collision with another car around 8am at the intersection of Taylor and Tangimoana Rds, 30km from the city on Friday.
‘‘Losing someone you love at anytime of the year is terrible but when it happens around Christmas it is far worse because this is the time families come together to enjoy each others company,’ said her father, who lives in Taranaki.
‘‘To lose a daughter is really pretty horrible and it affects all the people whose lives the person has touched. If I can only say to everyone is to slow down and be careful,’’ he said.
‘‘She was just so hard working and brought so much fulfilment to people’s lives she met in every avenue,’’ Steve Carrie said.
He and staff members travelled to the crash site on Tuesday to pay their respects and remember their daughter and friend.
‘‘Her death has been very hard felt and the stories that came out were full of the tons of happiness Jackie brought to her work mates.
‘‘She just didn’t know how many hearts she touched.’’
Jackie’s strongest supporter was her partner Jared Martyn, he said. ‘‘She had a few bad relationships but when she met Jared the pair hit it off really well.
‘‘She said to me once ‘Jared was good to me, Dad.’ ‘‘
‘‘He treated her like a queen and we all noticed how she blossomed after she met him.’’
The pair had plans to start a family and settle on a rural block. ‘‘He was the man for her and he made my daughter so, so happy.’’
Martyn gave his daughter hope again, he said.
‘‘They had met on-line hoping to find a soul mate, and it’s a tragedy what has happened.’’
The Majestic Tea Bar staff knew Jackie as ‘Mother Hen’ because of her generous spirit and helpfulness, staff member Ollie McCormick said. She remembers her friend and colleague enthusiastically flicking through recipe books at work.
‘‘She had this amazing quiche she would make which turned out to be areal favourite with customers. The quiche and her herb and cheese scones were our best sellers.’’
She had previously worked at the Airspresso cafe at New Plymouth Airport before moving to Palmerston North after meeting Martyn.
She had left for short time to work at another bakery but reapplied for her old job at The Plaza to continue her interest in baking, Majestic Tea Bar owner Chris Cox said.
‘‘She was just a standout person.’’
The cafe was closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect.
Cox was helping Carrie to own her own coffee cart business.
‘‘She had big ambitions to own a business and we wanted to help her and see her flourish and grow. Now her dreams and hopes have been lost with her.’’
The funeral is in Stratford today.