MH17: Generous Sydney nun, caring Illawarra teachers remembered at services for Malaysia Airlines crash victims (ABC)

View Comments ABC Michael and Carol Clancy were both remembered as dedicated and caring teachers.

A Catholic nun and a couple who taught disabled and special needs students, all of who were on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, have been eulogised at separate memorials.

Family and friends of Sydney teacher Sister Mary Philomene Tiernan gathered at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Rose Bay on Friday.

Sister Philomene was on her way home from a holiday in France when MH17 was brought down over Ukraine.

The principal of Kincoppal Rose Bay, where Sister Philomene worked, said she received an email from her the day before her expected arrival back in Sydney.

Hilary Johnston-Croke said Sister Philomene was on a spiritual high, and that she was looking forward to returning to teaching duties at the school.

Sister Philomene's sister, Madeline, said the nun loved children and would always bring presents back from her trips for them.

"There would of been a gift of some kind for all of Phil's children," she said.

She also shared a letter that one of Sister Philomene's close friends had sent her after hearing the news.

"One of lasting memories of Phil was on [Madeline's] wedding day, sitting in the front of the car, glowing with joy," the letter said.

Sister Philomene's liked to take books away with her on holidays, to make her feel more at home.

Teachers aboard MH17 were celebrating retirement

Hundreds of people, including church ministers, family members of victims and ex-students of teachers Michael and Carol Clancy attended a service at Albion Park Public School.

Mr Clancy, 64, and his 57-year-old wife who had been returning from a three-week European holiday to celebrate their retirement, were remembered as dedicated and caring teachers.

Albion Park Primary School principal Glenn Daniels has described Mr Clancy as an outstanding teacher who had worked at the school for more than two decades.

"He was one of those people who always put himself into the background - he didn't like the limelight, he was more than happy for the students to have that," Mr Daniels said.

Former principal and close friend Jim Cooper said Mr Clancy was a "caring and professional teacher" who "made every child feel special".

"Mr Clancy was not a tall or large man, but in spite of this, he was the strongest person I had met in my life," Mr Cooper said.

"He carried that strength, of mind and heart, to work every day to help children and teachers."

Mr Clancy's students said he had enriched the lives of countless children and he was the definition of kindness and selflessness.

Student Erin Pasfield said he reached out to the toughest students and helped them reached their full potential.

Another student, Ethan Waite, said Mr Clancy "had a jar of lolly snakes on his desk for the good kids".

"He never took a snake for himself even though it would have been tempting," he added.

Carol Clancy worked at Lakelands and Figtree public schools and specialised in teaching children with disabilities.

Her daughter, Jane Malcolm, said she had been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and compassion from the community.

Ms Malcolm said the couple were ordinary people who didn't get noticed in the public eye until their lives were lost.

Hundreds of balloons in the school colours, green and white, were released after the service.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/24550350/mh17-generous-sydney-nun-caring-illawarra-teachers-remembered-at-services-for-malaysia-airlines-crash-victims/