Anne and Ian Fielder were planning to travel to Europe and the UK in October with friends.

But the overseas holiday will never happen.

The pair were killed in a crash in Thames on Thursday night. They leave a close-knit family, including son Lance, daughter Tracey and five grandchildren, who will now have to plan their funerals.

Jocelyn Anne Fielder, 64 - known as Anne to her friends and family - and Ian James Fielder, 66, died at the scene of the crash on State Highway 25 west of the Kopu Bridge.

Police say the driver of the the second vehicle involved in the crash - a ute - crossed the centre line.

The driver of that ute, Haydn David Clark, 20, also died at the scene, while his father, Jim Clark, had to be cut from the wreckage and was flown to Middlemore Hospital in a critical condition.

The couple's friend, Gary Martin, had known Anne and Ian for almost 30 years.

He says they had dinner at a friend's place on Thursday night and were on their way home when the crash happened.

Martin met Anne around 1990 at the meatworks in Thames.

Martin was a meat inspector and not long after Anne started at the plant, she, too, trained as an inspector - she was the first woman to do so.

"When she joined, she was the only woman on the board [of meat inspectors]. So you can understand how the boys gave her a bit of stick. But she could give as good as she got," says Martin.

"There were women in the office, but she was the only woman on the board. She was pretty straightforward. She was a good worker and she did her job well.

"When she first came, I was working with her and then I came to be her boss. I relied on her a lot to do things - especially the computer work. I wasn't very au fait, I was an old bugger."

Martin says Anne had lately been working on a casual basis as a meat inspector and would fill in at the meatworks at Horotiu or Te Aroha if she was needed.

Anne's husband, Ian, was a volunteer firefighter and worked at the cheese factory at Kerepehi.

"They had a small place at Turua, just outside of Thames. They had a few acres and ran a few cattle.

"Ian was a volunteer fireman for a while out there, but he had to give up a few years ago because he hurt his shoulder and he had to have an operation and he couldn't lift.

"They were both very well liked in the community. They got on well with most people and they loved their golf. I'd been to several tournaments with both of them."

Anne and Ian also had a bach in Tairua.

"Anne and I would always give it to each other," Martin says. "Sometimes I'd have her on, but she was very quick-witted and had an answer for everything. We got on well and were still good friends, right up to the end."

Martin says he can't get his head around how the accident happened.

The Thames Golf Club - where Anne and Ian were members - held a ceremony for the couple on Saturday.

Members stood for a moment's silence and shared memories.

"It hurts. It'll be a sad loss to the community.

"They did everything on their own bat and everything they had, they worked for. They were working towards retirement, of course, and looking forward to this big trip that now won't happen."

Thames Golf Club manager Brenda Ormsby said she didn't know the couple well, but that they were loved by the community and that the golf club has been "absolutely gutted" by the news.

The wider Fielding family declined to comment, other than to say in a statement that they "would like to thank the emergency services and everyone who helped at the scene. We would also like to thank the community for their ongoing support and love, and welcome visitors to share stories and memories.

- Stuff/DONNA-LEE BIDDLE