Soccer coach, farmer, winery worker, nanny, Ansett caterer, would-be marine biologist and photography sales assistant Kym Dachs packed a lot in to her 58 years but as the mourners at her 11 January celebration of life heard – her proudest achievement was her three daughters.
And they heard that in her own words with the Millmerran-born, Ballandean local writing her own eulogy, with her daughters, beloved husband Russell and mother Rose-Marie adding some extra memories to Kym’s own to make her eulogy extra special for those gathered at the ceremony at the Stanthorpe Showgrounds Exhibition Centre.
“Well, like I have done in all the last 58 years, I’m doing things my way in writing this,” her friends and family heard.
“What a wonderful life I’ve had.
“First born daughter to Peter and Rose-Marie (nee Langston) Winter, I came into this world on 19th of April 1964.
“I was early by a few months and weighed in at 3lb. In those days in a small hospital with unreliable power. The dedication to keep me alive and thrive was hard. When the power went off, the matron would go back to heating flannels in the wood stove to keep me warm. My nappies were cut into quarters.
“What a fabulous childhood, wrapped up in love from the start. One of my earliest memories was feeding kookaburra’s with Grandpa Langston. Grandad would feed sausages to the kookaburras while they waited just outside the kitchen, with them even coming onto the table. One day I was caught happily sucking the guts out of a pound of sausages. If it was good enough for the kookaburra’s it was good enough for me.
“Then in time Kellie, Justin, and Nathan came along and I became a big sister. Protector, guiding hand and of course led them into mischief. We would go fishing and camping with Mum and Dad’s friends, hikes in the National Park.
“Spring heralded the start of swimming club. My first Saturday morning I lined up and swam 25m, I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Mum and Dad .“ How did you go?” they asked. I proudly responded “I came third”. “How many were in the race?” I answered “three”. And that was the last time I finished last again. Happy days and nights were spent traveling to carnivals with sing-a-longs on the bus.
“I had great results at school, right through to Year 12 when it was time to make big decisions on where to go from there. Marine Biology seemed a great fit, so off to JCU in Townsville. I’ll be completely honest, the partying and uni life was too much fun. Do I regret not finishing, no I do not. As a very beloved aunt once said to me when I apologise for my lack of effort “Kym, every decision you have made has led you to this point in your life, you have Russell, your beautiful girls, you’re happy- never regret that”.
She came home to Millmerran before moving to Toowoomba and then a stint in Alice Springs where she worked as a nanny, Ansett catering and found a love in sales and photography at Alice Springs Camera Shop before moving back to Queensland working in Camera stores. It is there that she met Russell – thanks to her neigbours, inviting him to her school reunion in December 1991 for their first day and then proposing to him in February 1992.
They where to be married in October but Kym fell pregnant and had vowed, she never wanted to be pregnant on her wedding day. Seven years later after having their daughters Courtney, Jacynta, and Tayla, they were married. They had built a house together in Ballandean on Russells family property, where they became a strong part of the Ballandean community.
After coming from a rugby league family, Kym switched codes and found a new love for soccer after watching and supporting Russell play for Ballandean Soccer Club, supporting all three girls by coaching their teams and taking them all over the Downs for competitions.
After being a stay at home mum to raise the girls, she went back into the workforce and started work at Golden Grove winery where she discovered her love for wine and this quickly became Kym’s dream career.
Kym had a passion for cooking and baking, always trying out new recipes in the kitchen with her girls. One day Kym came home with a gold medal from the Stanthorpe Show for her sundried tomatoes.
“Even though my time has been cut shorter than most and it is terribly sad to face over the last few months, don’t be sad for too long,” her eulogy continued.
“Its natural to be sad and cry, but then smile when you think of me. Laugh at the funny moments, remember the things we did together, forgive me any hurts I may have caused. Turn around any negatives you are feeling and turn them into positives.
“I made this change a few years ago and it has truly helped me a lot since my diagnosis. Time is precious. Being angry, sad, and everyday struggles take up too much energy that is best spent with family and friends, being happy, loving, caring, and creating strong bonds and lasting memories. There you are lecture finished. As per usual I love getting my point across.
“I love my darling husband so much. We like all couples have had our ups and downs, happy times and sad.
“My greatest accomplishment will always be my beautiful girls, Courtney, Jacynta, and Tayla. Leaving you is the hardest part. But I know I have brought you up to be strong, but soft. You know and always will know the power within yourselves but that you’ll also have each other. We always have each other backs even if we get on each other’s nerves occasionally.
“My sweet Ava, Nan loves you. The thing that makes me most heartbroken is that nan won’t get to see you, your future siblings and cousins grow into the next generation of loving, strong, independent, but interlocking family.”
Kym is survived by husband Russell, daughters and son-inlaw Courtney and Trent, Jacynta and Tayla, grandaughter Ava, mother Rose-Marie and brothers Justin and Nathan and their families.
