Bethany Haisman Onlinetributes.com.au

I didn't want to believe what I was reading, it couldn't be true, the sweet girl from school, a good friend.. so young. The more I read the more it hit me..age 27, Winmalee, Yuuki, piano lessons... it's really Bethany. My deepest sympathy to your family and friends, you will be greatly missed!

I first met Bethany at school in year nine, we did art together, a friendly smile would greet me every time. Something about her good nature made it so easy to talk with her. Later I learned she was a brilliant piano player and a very clever girl, never demanding. In year 12 we both made it into Artexpress exhibitions, which we were absolutely amased at, she was excellent at drawing too.
At the formal she was the girl that would come down from where the party was, and come and chat with me.. I still can't believe you're gone.

Over the next few years there were the odd days that I would bump into Bethany, be it at Winmalee Coles, out on the streets of Springwood, or just when I was walking my dogs in the back streets of Winmalee, always with a smile. Even if we haven's seen each other in a year, it just felt like we could pick up where we left off, and all was well...

My heart goes out to your family, for those lucky enough to know Bethany we know what we have lost.

Rest in peace old friend!
Stan

I had Bethany as my piano tutor for 3 weeks. I learnt of Bethany only recently through a friend who was being tutored already by Bethany, Ellie Wooldridge. I was looking for a new piano tutor, an easy going one. So i first met Bethany on the streets of Springwood. I was busking with my keyboard and she came up to me and gave me money and announced to me my mistake through playing Chopin's prelude in e minor =] We got on really well and she showed me her gentle nature and infectious smile. The thought ran through my head of having her as my teacher as i did not have one at present.
Later in life, i was at Penrith station waiting for my train to Springwood. Bethany was there and so we spent the whole train trip talking about how she when she was my age had many teachers that she had gone through because she was a bad student doing all the things i was doing: playing other pieces rather than the ones that were assigned to us, or just not practicing, but simply playing. This brought such an energy to me, I thought to myself "I've found my piano teacher".
So a few months later i rang up Bethany and asked if I could be her student.
She accepted freely.
I was at ease now, I felt i'd found someone who i could relate to through the art of playing for pleasure.
So my lessons intruded in her scarce time and started on the 26th of november. I rode my bike from penrith station (where i lived) and caught the train to springwood, then rode to her house in Winmalee.
It seemed like a long way to go for one hour of piano tutoring but i thought i'd try it as i'd found someone unique and different to the teachers i'd had previously.
My first lesson with Bethany was the best lesson of my 7 years of piano.
She was the sweetest woman, as soon as I walked in the door, she introduced me to her lovely bordacolee Yuuki =] and showed me to the music room. There i showed her the pieces i was learning and played for her, she told me that i needed to learn technique before tackling such pieces (Pathetique no1 by beethovan, chopins nocturne in e major, solfeggio by bach) and so she gave me other options. And made sure that i liked the pieces. At the end of my lesson, i recieved a jelly bean. That for me topped my lesson off. She had given me 45 minutes extra and a jelly bean. That was my first best lesson ever. and so i went to lessons with bethany without hesitation of travel, and for the first time ever, i looked forward to my lessons.
Before Bethanys pasing i had 3 more lessons. I thank god for letting me have the chance to know bethany as she touched my life significatly.
What a woman.

God bless you Bethany =]

Love always,

Matt.