KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand father of three killed in a road crash while working for a British security firm in Afghanistan was a loving, caring man, his family say.
Kelly Clark, 51, a former soldier, died when the truck he was a passenger in hit a patch of ice and crashed on December 9.
Mr Clark was born and raised in Te Puke but lived in Wanganui with his wife, Alaina, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.
He was married in 1989 and the couple have three children - Sunny, 18, Sarah, 11, and Kelly, 10.
His body is being flown back from Afghanistan and is expected to arrive at the family marae on Manoeka Rd, Te Puke, early this week.
Mr Clark's mother, Hiki Clark, 72, of Te Puke, said he was the fourth of her 12 children.
His older brother Marshall encouraged him to join the Army in July 1977. He served for 21 years in the 1st Battalion and 2nd/1st Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment before retiring in June 1998 as a warrant officer 2nd class (company sergeant major).
Younger sister Judy Clark described her lost sibling as a "loving, caring brother" who got on with everybody. "He never forgot his mates," she said. "Kelly will be sadly missed by all those who knew him."
Mr Clark had been based in Afghanistan for just over two years, returning home every eight weeks to spend two weeks in New Zealand with family and friends.
- NZPA
