A fitting last ride for trucker
It was a fitting last ride for Taranaki trucker Trevor Biesiek.
Hundreds of people attended the Inglewood stalwart’s funeral yesterday afternoon, with his coffin arriving on the back of his pride and joy – his J.D Hickman work truck.
‘‘My brother-in-law is in the trucking industry and thought it would be a nice send-off for him because he absolutely loved his truck. He was so proud of his truck,’’ Biesiek’s daughter Rachael said.
Biesiek died suddenly on January 7, aged 67, after suffering a heart attack while unloading at Fonterra in Eltham.
A horn sounded as his coffin was brought to Eagars Te Henui Chapel, in Lemon St, New Plymouth.
His grandchildren packed into the front cab and waved at attendees as it pulled up outside the funeral home, with the words ‘Rest in Peace Trev’ written on the back.
Biesiek had been in the industry since 1983, and there was not a local truck driver who would not know of him, the family reckoned.
He had grown up in Inglewood and never left.
He started a family with his wife, Janine, and they had four children: Daniel, Amy, Rachael and Stephanie, and nine grandchildren.
Janine died suddenly in 2011, after 35 years of marriage, but he remained the loving father they’d grown up with, Rachael said.
‘‘He was just a genuinely lovely dad. Everything you could want in a father, he was.
‘‘He always wanted to be
known as just a really nice guy.’’
Rachael said her father was a huge community stalwart.
In 1986, he was part of the Inglewood BMX Club.
That same year he and Janine took ownership of Oscar’s Kiwi Kafe before selling it in 1991.
He was then the president of the Inglewood Club and also drove for Inglewood motors for about 15 years.
‘‘He was just so well known in so many different circles of the community,’’ Rachael said. ‘‘It all probably stemmed from when he and my mum owned Oscar’s.’’
They were barely able to walk down the main street of
Inglewood without him stopping for a yarn with someone, she said.
‘‘When we went to the Christmas parade, and we were walking around with him, you’d only get about 10 to 15 metres and he’d stop to talk to someone else,’’ she laughed.
His death had left a huge hole in the community, she added.
‘‘He was always willing to lend an ear or help anybody out. He wanted to be there for anybody.
‘‘He’ll be missed for just being that approachable guy you could go to for any problem.’’
‘‘He was a legend,’’ his sister Gaye said.
‘‘He really was a legend.’’