Colleagues have described Sydney kindergarten teacher Gabriele Lauschet, who was killed on MH17, as a joyful, optimistic spirit who looked out for others.
Ms Lauschet, known as Gaby to her friends and colleagues, was due to start the school term on Monday at the German International School in Sydney's north where she had taught for 14 years.
Principal Erhad Seifert told AAP the teachers returned to the school on Monday, suffering a huge sense of loss.
"Everyone's reminded of Gaby ... it's not easy to come back to work, this environment and know that she's gone," he said.
To add to the heartbreak, the 47-year-old German national had only months earlier become engaged to another staff member, the school's business manager Andreas Schaaf.
It was Mr Schaaf who broke the news on Friday, sending a text to Mr Seifert who then informed the school community.
Ms Lauschet had been in her homeland visiting her mother.
Her adult son Tim, who also lives in Sydney, had been due to accompany her and would have been on the plane with his mother, but had to pull out.
"At the moment, everything's pretty overwhelming. Everyone's just devastated," he told Channel Seven.
Mr Seifert said his late colleague's cheerfulness was infectious.
"She was a very strong person who had some difficulties in her life, but she was always had a very positive attitude - the people around her had to be happy and joyful because she spread that atmosphere," said Mr Seifert.
"She would help out everyone."
It will be a sad start to the school term for the bilingual college's students on Wednesday, 38 of whom were Ms Lauschet's pre-school pupils.
The Terrey Hills school will hold a memorial ceremony this week to honour her, and a table has been set up for the children to write and draw their messages of condolence.
Ms Lauschet was identified as the sixth NSW resident in the Malaysia Airlines crash which killed up to 39 Australian citizens and residents.
Share
