Tributes flow for two amazing people

Tributes are flowing for beloved Parkes couple Sue and Graham Tait as the community rallies to support their family and come to terms with their loss in a tragic crash on Friday evening. "Amazing people" lead the words offered to describe the couple in an outpouring of love in the past few days. Sue had touched the lives of hundreds of families over her 17 years at Parkes Early Childhood Centre where she was assistant director, Graham as a well respected and experienced coach driver. They were beloved in our community, and with their five children a close-knit family. "They were always together, they were best friends," PECC director Amii Marchant said. She has established an online fundraiser to support the Tait children in coming weeks and months, and you can go online to gofundme.com to contribute. "That is our main focus at the moment, doing whatever we can," Amii said. Families and fellow educators paid tribute to Sue as "a beautiful lady who always had a friendly smile", "highly regarded for her warmth, experience and dedication to the children in her care", and "an absolute treasure". Both Sue and Graham valued their work and were dedicated to it, consistent and reliable. "Sue is a big loss for our leadership team," Amii said. As news of the tragedy has spread, they have been contacted by those further afield who were touched by this lovely couple's friendly smiles, including the service station where Graham was a regular with the coach. "Graham was the most kind-hearted and lovely man. We looked forward to seeing him every day," staff wrote in offering their condolences to his children. The lives of two young men, aged 18 and 19, were also lost in the crash, which has sent shockwaves through the central west. Emergency services were called to the Newell Highway about 35km south of Dubbo, about 9.20pm on Friday September 27. There had been a two-vehicle crash, claiming the lives of two young men travelling in a ute and a couple travelling in a van. A 23-year-old male driver of the ute was taken to Dubbo Hospital. NSW Police commenced investigations into the crash and on Tuesday announced that they had arrested the 23-year-old man after he was discharged from hospital. He was taken to Dubbo Police Station and charged with four counts of dangerous driving occasioning death – drive manner dangerous, driver not wear seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened and drive with two passenger seatbelt/restraint not properly fastened. The man was given conditional bail to appear before Dubbo Local Court on Monday October 21. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.