Memorial to Tanya Burr, killed 15 September 2002

Poupatete Marae to Kelvin Grove: 20 September 2002

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Tanya surrounded by photos of her forebears at Poupatete Marae, Tokorangi (near Halcombe, Rangitikei), which is the home marae of her father's family, just before leaving for her funeral at Palmerston North on Friday, 20 September 2002. The red-framed photo on the coffin is a photo taken of Tanya at Amsterdam several weeks earlier during her Contiki tour. 

The pink photo album to the right of the coffin is Tanya's, which I bought for her the same day (Friday, 13th) I got her holiday photos developed for her. Before she left for Rotorua, she put them all into the album and showed them to everyone she met until her death. Thereafter they have continued to be looked at and most now appear elsewhere on this website. (Photo: Val)

Preparing to leave Te Tikanga marae, the upper meeting house at Tokorangi, where we had stopped briefly to spend time with the grieving family of an elderly lady who had died about a day after Tanya. Tanya travelled in this vehicle from Rotorua until shortly before her Palmerston North funeral service. Both marae are closely associated with each other, with Te Tikanga meeting house dating from the latter 1880s, while Poupatete opened in 2000 (though it was built in the mid-1900s). (Photo: Val)

Tanya at home for the final time for about half an hour. Partly this was to fulfil my personal need to have her home for even just a few minutes - and to allow our neighbours to spend a last few moments with her. It also allowed us to switch her from the 4WD wagon she'd previously travelled in, to the hearse. Furthermore, it gave us a chance to refresh ourselves - and Tanya's make-up and hair - before the funeral. In other words, it gave us the chance to do the 'girl stuff', with Tanya as a participant for one last time. The Kelvin Grove Community Centre, where the funeral service was held, is a couple of hundred metres from our home.

This photo was taken as we prepared to leave. Tanya looked beautiful and natural in her own makeup, but equally naturally this especially selected photo is distant and has low resolution, and is not therefore going to do her justice. For obvious reasons, I cannot place a better (i.e. closer) photo of her on the internet. It is perhaps worth noting that the side of Tanya's face closest to the camera was the one she lay on for about twenty hours after her death. Her face was not damaged by her killer, but it was very slightly affected thereafter.

The various items on the near end of the coffin (excluding the framed photos and Tanya's paternal family's traditional feathered cloak) were destined to remain with Tanya. These included a range of things people felt were special to Tanya, and which she couldn't bear to be without. For example, a packet of green tea, a bottle of pure water, a jar of Vegemite (that she'd craved overseas), two photos from her Contiki trip, the packet of cigarettes she'd asked Russell to buy for her duty free which she knew he'd got a few hours before her death, and a little Norwegian hedgehog (Pinnsvin) ornament from Russell that she'd have loved. 

Last and by no means least was the Victim Support dog soft toy called 'Spot'. Assorted other things went in that people wanted to remain with her. I had to put these things in the coffin as the service prepared to start, and ended up doing it with the assistance of the microphone. Those present began to wonder how it was all going to fit. (Photo: Val)

Marama getting the coffin ready to move again. (Photo: Val)