Widower tells of 'hatred' for driver

David cotter at the funeral for his wife Shelagh Cotter, held in Waikanae. Photo / Herald on Sunday

A grieving husband has described his "deep-seated hatred" towards an alleged drunk-driver whose car struck and killed a Kapiti grandmother last weekend.

A tearful David Cotter addressed about 100 mourners at the funeral for his wife, 69 year-old Shelagh Cotter, north of Wellington yesterday.

The doting grandmother died last weekend when a man ploughed into her parked car while she and a friend stopped on a grass verge for a coffee and muffin.

Shelagh, who had been sitting in the passenger side of the car with the door open, was flung 10m over a fence and died later in hospital.

Her friend, 62-year-old Marilyn Jeffery, was seriously hurt.

Still nursing severe bruising, a broken sternum and facial wounds requiring stitches, Jeffery also paid tribute to her friend at the funeral held at the Waikanae Funeral Home yesterday.

Cotter was described as a hard-working, generous woman who loved gardening and cooking.

Her husband described how he and Shelagh lived within 200m of each other while growing up in Cardiff, Wales.

It wasn't until he was 15 that Cotter said he plucked up the courage to ask her on a date.

"We spent the next four years so very much in love," he said through tears.

Four years later, the couple were married and when their only daughter Kathleen was very young, the family emigrated to New Zealand where David Cotter worked as a corrections officer and Shelagh Cotter as a secretary.

He said: "While I don't want to dwell on last weekend, I will say I haven't got any animosity towards the man who did this to my Shelagh - just deep-seated hatred."

Earlier, he joked that his wife had nine years ago found another man. He was referring to their grandson, Joshua, to whom she was devoted.

Jeffery said she would always remember her "precious moments" with her "neighbour and friend".

Jeffery's husband, Don, earlier told the Herald on Sunday he was "very, very angry".

He said it was upsetting for him to see his wife in so much pain.

However, he said the accident also had financial impact on their lives as his wife, a counsellor, would not be able to return to work for some time.

"How can she help people with their emotional scars when she has her own to deal with?"

The 37-year-old alleged drunk driver, who has not been named, is due to appear in Levin District Court on November 25.