Family pay tribute to balloon victims

Masterton couple Ann and Desmond Dean, shortly before they died in the January 7 hot air balloon crash. Photo / supplied.

The daughters of the Masterton couple killed in the Carterton hot air balloon crash have paid tribute to a loving couple who had just started enjoying their retirement after a life of hard work.

Desmond and Ann Dean had been given the $350 balloon trip as a Christmas present from their daughters, who were on the ground when the balloon struck powerlines and was engulfed by flames on the clear Saturday morning of January 7.

Nine others, including pilot Lance Hopping, were killed in the crash.

The Deans' three daughters - Bronwyn Brewster, Deborah Gray and Fiona Rouse - today paid tribute to their parents, who they described as loving, respectful and hardworking.

Desmond, 70, and Ann, 65, were both raised in Wairarapa and studied at Wairarapa College.

The couple married in June 1966 and lived in a caravan while Desmond, a trained builder known as Des, built their dream home in Masterton, where they would live for the rest of their lives.

Ann worked at Wrightson's Department Store until the birth of their first child, Fiona, in 1968, while Des worked in the building industry throughout his working life, starting his own company in the mid-1970s.

He had been mostly retired for about two years, aside from the occasional odd job, and the couple had used the opportunity to take a month-long trip to Canada and an Alaskan cruise - something they had always wanted to do.

They loved being in their garden - Ann with her dahlias and Des with his vegetable garden, which was "his pride and joy".

The daughters in a statement today described their parents as a loving couple and proud grandparents to their six grandchildren. They never missed a sports match or a birthday.

"For mum, family was her life and she loved dad, her children and her grandchildren. She was the most loyal and honest person you could ever meet.

"Dad was an extremely hard worker with high morals and a lot of integrity. Both mum and dad treated people with a huge amount of respect and treated others as they wanted to be treated," they said.

"You were both taken from us far too soon. You had just started to live and enjoy your retirement. You will be treasured forever. We love and miss you."

The couple were keen squash players who encouraged all three daughters in the sport, never missing a match and spending most weekends following them around squash courts and tournaments.

They were especially proud of Fiona's success after she represented New Zealand in squash at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The daughters said they fondly remember their family camping trips at Ohope Beach, where they caravaned for about a decade and made lifelong friends.

Des and Ann Dean were active in local clubs, including the Wairarapa caravan and squash clubs. Des was made a lifetime member of the latter, and was also a member of the Masterton Host Lions for several years.