A couple who died in a horror head-on crash in central west NSW left behind five children aged between 16 and 26.
A truck carrying three teenagers collided with a van carrying Graham and Sue Tait, both 57, on the Newell Highway, 35km south of Dubbo, at 9.20pm on Friday evening.
Last night Parkes Early Childhood Center shared the sad news that their assistant director Mrs Tait and her bus driver husband had died in the accident.
“This weekend our wonderful assistant director Sue Tait and her husband Graham were tragically killed in a head-on collision,” a statement said.
‘Sue has been working at PECC for seventeen years. She was known as a strong, consistent backbone of PECC, who enjoyed coming to work every day.
‘Her husband Graham was a respected and experienced bus driver.’
The children’s center has remained open despite the tragedy.
Parkes Shire Council deputy mayor Marg Applebee shared a touching memory of the couple.
Parkes Early Childhood Center assistant director Sue Tait and husband Graham (both pictured) also tragically died in the crash
‘This was such heartbreaking news. I first met Sue when my husbands were just little people. “It’s hard to believe I will never see her smiling, friendly face again,” she said.
“Thank you Mrs. Sue and Graham for being part of the positive, trustworthy and encouraging framework of our community.
‘Love to your family, dear people. Our community wraps its arms around all of you. Parts of our community are gone, but not forgotten.”
More than a hundred locals had shared memories of the Taits’ kindness, both at work and in the general community.
Former parents and students remembered “Miss Sue” as a woman who “always had a cheerful, welcoming smile.”
A neighbor recalled visiting the Taits’ ‘happy household’ for a ‘cup and a chat’ for many years.
“Sue was a very empathetic, sensitive soul and always had a smile and a positive attitude – something that endeared her to all PECC staff and families over the years,” another recalled.
“I will forever be grateful for her encouragement in parenting, her guidance in helping my daughter grow with confidence, and her commitment to our community,” one grateful mother wrote.
A GoFundMe raised more than $22,000 in one day to help support the Taits’ children.
Lochie Jacobs, 18, and his childhood friend Joey Urban, 19, were passengers in a Toyota HiLux that collided head-on with Mr and Mrs Tait’s van.
Paramedics desperately tried to resuscitate the teenagers but they died at the scene, while the 23-year-old driver of the ute was rushed to hospital with leg injuries.
Lochie Jacobs, 18, died in a car accident Friday evening. He and his best friend died tragically
Joey Urban, 19, also died in the crash, near Dubbo, in central west NSW
Tributes have also been paid to the pair. Relatives mourned the loss of Lochie just two years after he buried his father.
“Rest in peace Lochie, give your dad the biggest hug, he will be so proud of the young man you have become,” a loved one wrote.
“Last night the world lost a beautiful young man. I was at your father’s funeral two years ago but I never thought I would have to go to your Lochie funeral,” said another.
Some of the debris from the crash remained on the side of the highway Sunday, where friends of the teens began laying flowers in honor of the best friends.
Mr. Urban’s sister remembered him as the “best brother a sister could ask for” and said she would “drink a few Tooheys” on his behalf.
“I love you so incredibly much, you will be missed by so many,” she wrote.
Another friend said they can “rest easy, beautiful boys.”
‘The world is so cruel sometimes! Too young,” they wrote.
Mr Jacobs has been running an agricultural business, Jacobs Rural Contracting, since April after completing school at St Stanislaus’ Agricultural College in Bathurst.
In his latest social media post on Wednesday, he urged his followers to donate to his friend’s mental health fundraiser.
Mr. Urban was known as “one of the funniest buggers” among his friends.
Lochie and his childhood best friend, Joey Urban, were tragically killed after colliding head-on with a van on the Newell Highway on Friday evening (pictured)
“My thoughts are with everyone and all the families affected by this horror,” local MP Stephen Lawrence said on Sunday.
“I know the Parkes community will rally behind your children.”
Mr Lawrence described the crash as a “terrible massacre” that claimed the lives of four people, bringing the death toll in NSW to 248 this year.
Investigators are investigating whether one of the drivers overtook a road train on double lines and in a blind corner just before the crash.
First responders to the crash have reportedly been counseled while the mangled vehicles have been seized as part of investigations.