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The local kids knew him as "Kelly the bread man", but a freak accident claimed Kelly Donovan's life last week.
Donovan, 36, was riding a motorcycle on Lairdvale Rd near Taumarunui last Thursday when police suspect a branch fell and struck him on the head.
The father of two was found dead at the scene around 4.30pm by a neighbour driving on an adjoining farm. The road is rarely travelled by private vehicles. It was only a five-minute drive from Donovan's family home in Taringamotu Rd and locals said they had occasionally seen him go for bike rides along the road.
Pink spray paint on the narrow gravel road was the only indication of the accident yesterday. The poplar tree branch that struck Donovan was on the roadside, marked with more paint.
A neighbour said the wind was very strong the afternoon of Donovan's death and branches often fell from the poplar trees. A post-mortem was conducted on Friday and a report will be given to the coroner next week, Taumarunui police said.
Donovan and his wife, Alison, owned a Quality Bakers truck franchise, delivering bread to customers around the area.
"He was our bread man, he came every day," said Jenna Downes, owner of The Rock Café in Taumarunui. "He and his family would come in all the time. They were such a nice family. He had heaps of friends in the town, everyone is really sad."
Family and friends had gathered at the Donovan household to comfort Alison yesterday. Her mother Val Vernon said the father of Max, 3, and Sam, 7, loved his home and family.
"He was so well loved - I have a box full of cards from the kids at Turaki School for him, they called him "Kelly the bread man". They are closing the school on Tuesday for the funeral."
The funeral will be held at the local Catholic church.
Meanwhile a Taiwanese student has died three days after she was crushed by a massive branch during a Hamilton storm.
Huei Ching Cheng, known as Joanna, died yesterday as friends wondered why she hadn't returned text messages and had failed to show up for lunch on Friday.
Joanna suffered serious head, neck and pelvic injuries when she was struck by a falling branch on Wednesday afternoon as she walked along a verge near the university. The branch weighed up to five tonnes.
Miss Cheng's parents were with her when life support was shut off in Waikato Hospital at about 9am yesterday. They made a mercy dash from Taiwan after the accident.
Senior Sergeant Graham Shields of Hamilton police told the Herald on Sunday the death had been referred to the coroner. While he believed there was nothing to indicate the tree was poorly maintained, an inquiry was standard procedure. "We have to satisfy the coroner whether it was just bad weather and bad luck, or whether the tree was somehow at fault. The coroner will give a final ruling on cause of death."
- Additional reporting Alice Hudson
