Above: Boyfriend James Dolinsek (white cap) joined family members as about 600 people farewelled Kelly Moate last week.By Kath Gannaway
“WE could send Kelly to the deepest, darkest place on earth and she would still shine.”
James “Bill” Dolinsek’s moving tribute to Kelly Moate, the love of his young life, was one of many delivered among laughter and tears at a funeral service last Wednesday for the 20-year-old who was killed in a car crash at Coldstream on 13 January.
An estimated 600 people attended the service in Wantirna for the young woman whom celebrant Nadine Gaskell described as a vibrant, bubbly, passionate person, always attentative to the people in her life.
A friend of Kelly’s parents Cathy and Keith Moate, Ms Gaskell said Kelly was born at Healesville Hospital on 11 May 1988, a sister to Shaun.
She went to Yarra Glen Primary School and then to Healesville High School.
“She was known as a bit of a goodie-two-shoes there and a bit of a perfectionist, spending hours on presentation of her assignments,” she said.
Kelly’s uncle, Michael Costello, and aunt, Lesa Moate, spoke on behalf of the family.
Mr Costello said his niece had grown up surrounded by love.
“Her personality was formed when she was younger and in all that time she never changed,” he said.
“She was helpful, funny, outgoing and beautiful.”
High school friend Andrea and colleagues from the Victoria Road Dental Clinic where Kelly worked as a dental nurse painted a picture of a fun-loving, caring friend whose love of life and ability to lift people’s spirits was infectious.
“She could make everyone happy, ever when you were at your saddest,” Andrea said.
She said Kelly was at a perfect time in her life. “She had a great job, a man in her life who loved her. Life is not fair,” she said.
A work colleague said Kelly, who had already earned the nickname “the tooth nazi” at home, where she insisted on checking the teeth of younger members of the family, also had a compelling teeth hygiene line with the clinic’s younger patients.
“She told the boys if they didn’t clean their teeth properly that girls wouldn’t like them,” she said.
She said Kelly was in love. “She always wore her heart on her sleeve and spoke so fondly about Bill … she absolutely adored him,” she said.
And it was boyfriend Bill’s brave, poetic and heartfelt tribute that spoke so much of the tragedy of a young life lost.
“I don’t want to stop crying because I will never stop loving her,” he said.
“She gave me a second chance of life. She was my angel.”
He spoke lovingly of their relationship and of their plans for the future, of her love of children and of the love she had for her family.
“I would rather be in her arms than anywhere else. I want her back,” he said. “I would do anything.”
A photo tribute celebrated a beautiful life and the family released mauve and pink balloons in Kelly’s memory at the conclusion of the service.
