Farewell for accident victim
The first funeral for a victim of a horrific car crash near Waverley last week that claimed seven lives has been held in the small town.
About 130 mourners gathered at the Waverley Waitotara Co-operating – Church of the Good Shepherd to farewell 79-year-old Brenda Williams at 11am yesterday.
Williams was travelling north along State Highway Three with friends Rosalie Porteous, 76, her husband Ian Porteous, 80, and Ian’s sister Ora Keene, 84, when tragedy struck and their car was involved in a collision with a southbound vehicle.
Parish clerk Roy Hotter said the service was a solemn occasion.
‘‘It was quite calm and there was a few quiet tears shed but not a lot,’’ Hotter said.
Most of Williams’ close family had travelled from out of town to attend the service and were comforted by those in the close-knit community who were there to pay their respects, he said.
The fallout from the devastating crash, that set the residents of the town reeling, was still being felt.
‘‘It will take a long time for that to go and different people will grieve in different ways,’’ Hotter said.
Patrick McKenna, who had known Williams since he moved to Waverley about two years ago, said there was a really good turnout for the service, which he described as a ‘‘lovely funeral’’.
‘‘It just shows what a nice community
‘‘It will take a long time for that to go and different people will grieve in different ways.’’ Roy Hotter
we have here, a lot of people rallied around to make it special,’’ McKenna said.
‘‘I’m glad that I went.’’ McKenna said members of Williams’ family and the community paid tribute to her life at the service.
Ian and Rosalie Porteous will be farewelled at the Taranaki Crematorium Chapel tomorrow.
Keene’s funeral and a memorial service for Ian and Rosalie will be held in Waverley on Thursday and Hotter expected a big turnout for the much loved members of the community.
The sole survivor of the crash, Ani Nohinohi, is showing signs of improvement but remains in a serious condition in ICU at Wellington Hospital.
Nohinohi’s partner Jeremy Thompson, 28, and their eight-weekold daughter Shady-Jade Thompson died in the crash last Wednesday.
Her eight-year-old daughter Nivek Madams died in Waikato Hospital last Thursday.