Lost our Lovely Daughter - Kirsty

On 11 March 2015, Chris and I lost our lovely daughter Kirsty to depression. She also left her elder sister Bonnie and Bonnie's two sons, Cameron and Jesse, as well as other relatives, friends and colleagues.

Kirsty had suffered for the last fifteen or so years but kept on keeping on as they say. It is my belief that those with depression who keep going are among the strongest people in this world. Unfortunately Kirsty lost her soul mate recently, her ex-boyfriend of several years who she kept in touch with at least weekly. He also suffered from depression and lost his fight in late January this year. Kirsty went into a spiral and I couldn't hold on to her, slipping through my fingers when I thought she seemed to be OK. Yes, she still loved him.

Kirsty loved to travel and had been to Fiji, Bali, Thailand and Europe twice, the last time being an eight week free form driving trip with her good friend Katrina whose husband David was good enough to allow Katrina to go.

Kirsty came back from Bali and Thailand vowing never to go there again because of the prevalent attitude to their women.

Kirsty was also had an interest in aboriginals and had been lucky enough to be sent by the Commonwealth Bank to Arnhem land for a week to live with a small group on a beach frequented by a large salt water crocodile ( I have seen the video!).

Kirsty worked in Information Technology and was the Insurance Systems Manager for the Commonwealth Bank insurance division, Comminsure. Kirsty was responsible for the IT upkeep of the 64 programs used by Comminsure. She led a team of 30 who had between 200 and 300 IBM supporting staff in India. The week before a local IBM manager had discussed Kirsty going to India to meet many of the people she had 'known' via email, etc.

Kirsty was a daughter to be proud of that is for sure. Kirsty was fearless and played above her level and across the other divisions of the bank as well.

At her funeral service on the Friday before last she had well in excess of 200 mourners including her loving relatives, friends, the Ramblers and two bus loads of colleagues from the Comminsure and Wealth divisions of the bank.

Six of the Ramblers had known her since she was little when the Ramblers met at our place in Helensburgh and other modellers also knew her at that age on Saturday mornings at the hobby shop at Sans Souci.

I miss you badly my little girl.