Ora Keene departs in style after funeral surrounded by friends and family

Ora Keene had never ridden in a sports car before yesterday.

And now she has. The 84-year-old made her last journey down the main road of Waverley in style.

She departed on the lap of her daughter and with close friends and family all around.

Keene died in last week's devastating crash outside of Waverley that took the lives of seven people.

About 400 friends and family turned out at The Church of the Good Shepherd for her funeral.

It was also a memorial service for her brother, Ian Porteous and her sister-in-law, Rosalie Porteous.

The weather was a warm, clear mid-winter's day in Waverley; much like on the day of the crash just over a week ago.

There was standing room only in the little church with people at the entrances trying to hear what was being said.

A television broadcast had to be put in a room next to the church to accommodate more attendees and cars lined the main road and filled a paddock alongside the venue.

Many of the Waverley volunteer fire brigade who first attended the scene last Wednesday were at the service.

The Minister of the church, Reverend Trevor Harrison, started proceedings, welcoming everyone before leading a hymn and reading from the Bible.

He then spoke about the Ora he remembered.

"Of Ora it could equally be said she was patient and kind," he said. "Not jealous or conceited or proud. Not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable.

"She never gave up. And her faith, hope and patience never failed."

Harrison talked about how Keene, born in Hawera, lived all over the North Island as her father pursued his railway career.

She eventually settled in Waverley and was employed at the local pharmacy where she met "a handsome young farmer by the name of Graham Keene".

Graham Keene died in 2014.

Harrison went on to say Ora was a private, humble person who would have been
slightly embarrassed at the number of people there yesterday.

Suzanne Christie, Ora's daughter, spoke and was visibly upset as she read a short passage in tribute to her mother.

Ora Keene and Ian Porteous' younger brother Colin Porteous then spoke.

He said to lose one person in an accident was awful, but to lose three left him without words.

Porteous shared memories of his older siblings: Ian was a prankster while Ora was the beautiful one of the family.

He said Ora once helped cure a boil he had on his skin with a sandwich filled with egg shells.

"When I bit into it, it was crunchy. I opened it up and had a look and there were crushed egg shells in it.

"What it did, I did not know but from that day until this I have never had a stye or a boil."

The audience laughed.

Other family members spoke including Ora Keene's grandchildren.

Many spoke about her expertise in gardening while grandson, Hayden Mischefski, apologised to his nana for never having conquered the art of sewing despite her expertise and lessons.

After the family spoke, members of the public got up and shared their memories about Ora, Ian and Rosalie.

Everyone then left the church to talk over some food and drink before Suzanne Christie and Reverend Trevor Harrison departed to the cemetery where Ora Keene's ashes were interred next to her husband.