Shirley was a great friend to me and my Mum and a role model and strong influence for me growing up. I learned a lot from your Mum, about bravery and being practical, about independence, kindness, and family. She is beloved to me because she was such a fun and very individual, one-of-a-kind person. Tea at Shirley's house was never the same as tea elsewhere when I was a kid - thanks to the goat's milk secret ingredient. I remember visiting her farm in 1987 and finding a whole cow's leg, hair and all, in the freezer outside the kitchen. Shirley's gardens were always full of beauty and diversity and I learned from her about growing things. It is because of Shirley that I grow orchids - she used to have them in her bedroom and I saw from her example that they are quite easy to grow and not nearly as fussy as one would think. Shirley was a very unfussy, down-to-earth, steady lady and I loved and admired that about her. She has been a constant thread through all the changes that life brings and I feel so lucky to have known her all my life. I was one of the kids who got to do play group with Shirley. I will miss our whatsapp chats and visiting her in Herne Bay, but her essence and influence in the World continue. I keep her in my heart.