'she would just give, give, give'

BIGGENDEN Hospital staff will pay tribute to their friend and fellow staff member Carmela Ward during a special event on hospital grounds today.

The 67-year-old Biggenden woman died after the sedan she was driving and a 40-tonne molasses truck collided on the Isis Highway about 6.20pm.

It is believed her husband James, who is one of the town's paramedics, finished work about an hour before his colleagues attended the crash.

Biggenden Hospital Acting director of nursing Brett Waters said Mrs Ward's fellow health care workers will take time out today to remember their colleague.

“We're having our own session because it's really affected our staff as well,” he said.

“She was a well-loved and well-respected staff member.”

Fellow nurse Sue Fowler said Mrs Ward was the kind of health worker that inspired others in the profession.

“She always saw the good in people,” she said.

Mrs Fowler said the last time she saw Mrs Ward was on Sunday night when she dropped a load of Christmas goodies to staff at the hospital.

“She was so thoughtful - she would just give, give, give,” she said.

Townspeople described the mother-of-four, who worked at the hospital for nearly 10 years, as a caring woman who gave her time to many community organisations including Meals On Wheels, Red Cross and her church group.

Grief has settled in the hearts of many in the Gayndah Seventh Day Adventist church, where Mrs Ward was an active member and secretary.

“We've all been crying buckets,” Pastor Bruce Burling said.

“She fitted in so well - she was like family, and we miss her almost as much as James does.”

Mr and Mrs Ward not only spent time volunteering countless hours in their own community, they travelled to the Solomon Islands for months at a time on their yacht Windango to complete missionary work.

The couple often completed medical tasks, or transported supplies or other medicos between islands throughout the tropical region.

Meals on Wheels president Betty Johnson described Mrs Ward as a “special” lady who was an integral part of the organisation and the town.

Mrs Ward's funeral will be held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Hervey Bay at 10am.