Carole Sherry and her husband Joe died on Friday, January 19, at a south Ballina beach.

With their children Monique, 17, Elise, 14, and Nicholas, 9 they were holidaying at a caravan park when they went for a swim at 7pm.

Police said Mr Sherry, 42, jumped into the water to save his wife from a rip and was then caught himself.

Elise rang 000 and Nicholas ran back to the caravan park for help. The couple died after they were pulled on to the beach where resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.

Mrs Sherry would have returned to work at John the Baptist school at Bonnyrigg where she was a teacher. The family lived in Orangeville. Mr Sherry was a commercial cookery teacher at Campbelltown, Wetherill Park and Padstow TAFE and is remembered as a passionate teacher who loved his wife and children.

Donations: hannahsfoundation.org or Westpac bank branches (Sherry orphan family appeal).