My mum was the most selfless person I knew. 


She wasn’t perfect, as none of us are, but she always strived to be the best she could be, always looked out for others and was always willing to go above and beyond. She helped so many people throughout her life, and I will never forget all that she did for our family. 


The following - I think - really epitomise who she was as a person:

For such an intelligent woman, she would often get a fit of giggles from what could only be described as ‘low-brow’ humour, especially when with Sarah and the boys, who all shared her humour. 

She once climbed a mountain (Machu Picchu) with a serious gallbladder problem that required surgery, but she didn’t let it stop her, as she discharged herself from a Peruvian hospital and the next day she stood atop the mountain, her raw determination carrying her through. 
She gave up her home twice for others, first for her mum, to move in and take care of her, and then again years later for me and my family, in many ways, to take care of us; although she would often joke she did it just to have the grandkids on tap, and that Sarah and I were just a bonus. 

She once got confused when first looking at mobile phones, comparing two very different models in two stores, believing them to be the same, and not understanding why one was more expensive. When she believed she was right, she would rarely back down, and so she tied a poor salesmen up in verbal knots and somehow talked him into price matching a much cheaper and inferior phone. After she discovered her mistake, she was mortified. She hadn’t knowingly lied, but felt awful, and too embarrassed to go back - in fact, I don’t think she ever stepped foot in that store again. 

When she first got her diagnosis and feared she wouldn’t make the next Christmas, she immediately set about delivering an early summer Christmas, complete with a tree, decorations, gifts and family trips. Family meant everything to her and one trip in particular will forever carry the fondest of memories, as she purposefully waited for a wet and windy day for us all to go down to the beach. She played at the waters edge with the boys and we all sat together in the wind and rain and posed for family photos. To her, all weather was beach weather, and she often preferred stormy seas over calm. 


She was an eternal optimist, even in the face of unfair circumstances, and right to the end she would quote, ‘change what you can change, get on with what you cant.’


She was a wonderful mum, and somehow, an even better Nanny - her bond with the boys was truly something special and I can only hope that she is able to look down and watch them grow with pride and the knowledge that she played such a vital role in their early years. 


We all love you mum, and you will never be forgotten.

Bob. X