​TAPATORU​

 

A Wellington legend will be missed for her glamour as much as her wonderfully brutal honesty. Dana DePaul died on Sunday at Mary Potter Hospice after a long illness.

Dana's cousin Kym Strathdee has paid tribute from Australia:



Dana had an unbelievable inner strength and willpower. She was bold, innovative and always turned heads for the best of reasons.

Her creativity and passion for costuming and design was exceptionally outstanding and anyone who experienced Dana live on stage was treated to at least the Grace Jones of the South Pacific. She was phenomenally talented and much loved!



To be a kid from Papakura in the 1970s who wanted to be unique or was compelled to unique was very hard for Dana, so she very much cut her own path. I guess what we wrote on her tribute page, which really sums it up is:



"To know your journey for so long is to have experienced originality, talent, conflict, outrageous behaviour, a deep love and trust for puppy dogs (maybe that was easier than humans eh?), tenacity, audacity, eccentricity and lots of clothes that you could just 'accidently' pop out of."



That captures the originality and conflict she had. As she was conflicted, but that's not a negative thing I think.

Both my partner Mary and I found the most important essence of Dana was her honesty. It could be brutal at times, but it was always, always honest. She had a wicked sense of honesty but it often represented the parts of us we were too scared to say.



Her sustenance as a person over the years definitely can be credited to loyalty – I think that Georgie Beyer was more her family than anyone in her immediate family anyway. We're probably the only blood relatives that were in touch with Dana. Georgie's loyalty and devotion to Dana was just Dana's saving grace so many times.

We're all just a bit lost at the moment.



I'm glad she's at peace.

Strathdee has put together a gorgeous gallery of photos from Dana's life which can be found on Facebook.



DePaul, Dana (Dee)
On 15th August 2010 at Mary Potter Hospice after a long and courageous battle.



Dearly loved and treasured friend of Louise, Kylie, Riki, Sally, Mal & Scotty, Georgina, Tom, Dana and Karen & Peri.



In lieu of flowers donations to the Chrissie Witoko Memorial Trust would be appreciated and may be left at the service.

Messages and tributes may be placed in Dee's tribute book below or posted c/- PO Box 14-366, Kilbirnie 6241.



A celebration of Dee's life washeld at The Wilson Funeral Home Chapel 375 Adelaide Road, Newtown on Thursday 19th August at 11.00am, thereafter private cremation.

Friends were welcome to view Dee all day Wednesday to their goodbyes.

Acknowledgement from the family

Heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Mary Potter Hospice and Wellington Free Ambulance for their outstanding care and compassion



Click here to download Dana's Service Sheet