Kiwi victims ‘fantastic couple’

THE Kiwi grandparents who died in a headon crash in the United States will leave a big hole in the Northland community they were extremely passionate about.

Whangarei iSITE manager Cheryl Lee and her husband, Richard, both former council workers, were killed when the Dodge travel van they were in crossed the centre line and collided with a truck and trailer on Friday morning (US time).

The couple (both 63) were driving along Highway 34, 10km west of the IdahoWyoming border in southeast Idaho, when the two vehicles collided. They died at the scene.

They had been on holiday and had been midway through a three to fourweek tour of the US.

Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai, who was a friends of the couple, as well as knowing Mrs Lee through her role at the council, said they were an amazing couple and would be dearly missed by their families and the greater community.

‘‘They were the most loving couple. They were absolutely besotted with one another. Incredible family, great parents and grandparents,’’ Ms Mai said.

The couple had been teenage sweethearts and had four adult children and grandchildren.

Mrs Lee had worked for the council for almost 30 years in tourism roles. Mr Lee also worked for the Whangarei Dis trict Council, in the venues and events team, before retiring in 2016. More recently, he had been helping his daughter inlaw, who had started Sunfed Chicken, which produced a chickenfree ‘‘chicken’’ made from peas.

‘‘Our team is understandably gutted . . . mourning the loss of a beautiful woman and a fantastic couple,’’ Ms Mai said.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said it was providing consular assistance to the couple’s family.