The service was held on the 3rd of September 2009, at the Suncoast Christian Centre in Woombye on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. The service was both a time of grieving and of celebration for over 3000 people who overflowed out of the auditorium which Kari and her family had helped build. Mourners gathered to honour the couple who were tragically killed on the 19th of August 2009 whilst going to the aid of their daughter Ashleah who had had a minor car accident on the Sunshine Coast Motorway.
The service was a beautiful and "elegant" reflection of what Kari and Allan stood for. Kari and Allan would have felt deeply blessed as members of the Machaneh Dance troupe, danced as a tribute to Kari, honouring the memory of the training that Kari and her mother Fran Sherwell bestowed upon thousands of young dancers over the past 29 years. Kari's parents Fran and Bob Sherwell, alongside her younger brother Ken and his wife, spoke of Kari and her passion and zest for life. "She was always in a hurry but always had time for people".
The Taylor's children, Ashleah and Kallan, expressed their love and support for one another as they embraced whilst Ashleah, supported by her soon to be husband Mitchell, delivered a eulogy paying honour to the influence and love their parents had on them both.
Kari's long time friend and dance school administrator Bernadette Taylor (no relation), spoke fondly and lovingly of her "sister in the Lord". Other friends from the coast and from overseas flew in for the occasion giving honour by singing and speaking at the service with vivid memories of the amazing and charismatic couple.
Brian Taylor (Allan's older brother), gave a eulogy in honour of his little brother, telling of the life threatening adventures that he'd had in pursuing his love for boating, fishing and surfing. As a teacher and founding principal of Suncoast College, Allan's dedication to the education of children both academically and spiritually endeared him to thousands of families on the Sunshine Coast and overseas. His passion for the hurting saw him spend the last nine years working as a Scripture Union chaplain in state primary schools dedicating much of his time guiding and counseling students and getting involved with the joys and heartaches of family life. Through Global Care, an arm of the Suncoast Christian centre, Allan escorted several groups to Thailand and Cambodia reaching out to the poor, teaching young people how to serve their fellow man.
Photo montages and video clips were played throughout the service prompting laughter and tears as the congregation remembered Allan and Kari, both as individuals and as a couple. Clips were shown of Allan and Kari speaking about their passion for the arts and for giving children and families hope for a future. 'The Christian conviction they shared prompted the power of faith to heal people's lives.' Many condolence books gathered over the last two weeks containing messages of love, hope and joy as testimony to how the Taylor's lived on a daily basis as they shared their lives with others. A 60 minutes styled voiceover boldly proclaimed that 'They are a true example of living out the phrase 'what would Jesus do.'
Allan and Kari's caskets were escorted out of the chapel surrounded by a guard of honour. Representatives of Sunshine Coast Scripture Union chaplains, church leadership and dance students cried tears of sadness yet with hearts filled with joy as Kari and Allan made their last journey together amongst friends. Many family and friends stayed on for the wake, chatting about their shared fond memories and comforting one another. Donation boxes were filled with contributions of money to ensure that the work of Kari and Allan would live on through Scripture Union School Chaplaincy and the Machaneh Dance School. In keeping with the Taylor's commitment to reaching out to others through the arts and the gospel, the dancers are still planning to go ahead with a trip to Israel, leaving on the 10th of September as a tribute to Kari and Allan. May their memory live on, as the tears fade and are replaced with rejoicing and celebration of their creativity and love of life as they made this world a better place.