St Carthages Catholic Church overflowed as the tiny town of Trangie swarmed with people wishing to pay their final respects to a long-standing member of the community.

With a police car leading a 100-metre long line of cars, the funeral procession made its way from the church to the cemetery.

Mrs Smith was well-known within the Trangie community and especially within the tennis fraternity. She has been described by many as a kind woman who was always there for the kids.

She spent her time nurturing talent among Trangie’s youth. Each week she was involved in Friday night tennis at the Trangie Tennis Club.

Started by Maureen Coffee the weekly event was designed to give bored youth something to do to keep them off the streets.

“Three years ago Janet and I got the kids into the Far West Academy, we got Trangie on the map with that,” Ms Coffee said.

“Although 68 years old she could still play a good game of tennis, she spun them, she could cut that ball. Tennis was her love.”

The combined funeral service for Faith Cindy Kearns (nee Short) and Chris ‘Gooba’ Hutchison will be held tomorrow, with a large representation from the local community expected.

The service will be held at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Dandaloo Street at 10am followed by burial in the lawn section of the Narromine Cemetery.

A funeral notice describes Narromine and Trangie as being “much sadder places for their tragic passing, but richer for having them in their lives”.

Ms Kearns, 36, was the daughter of John and Judith Short, sister and sister-in-law of David and Veronica and Lincoln and Kylie. According to community members Ms Kearns was held in high regards by her peers and devoted to her students.

Mr Hutchison, 35, was the son and “best mate” of Ken and Julie Hutchison, brother and brother-in-law of Owen and Kylie and Letitia and Andrew Matson.

Mr Hutchison has been described as a “man of the country” whose loss will be felt “deeply within the farming community”.

The triple tragedy rocked the communities of Narromine and Trangie, which are still coming to terms with the loss.

Officers with the Orana Local Area Command and emergency services were called to the scene of the two-vehicle crash, about 1.3km west of Tantitha Road in Narromine about 3.05pm January 28.

l.griplas@ruralpress.com