Resident of a little island in the South China Sea in the late-1970s and again in the mid-1990s, Pauline Harrison died peacefully in her sleep in a hospice in east London, England, at 9:15pm, 16 October 2006.She was 57.
Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in October 2004, Pauline underwent extensive surgery as well as chemotherapy and then decided to forego any further intrusive medical treatment.
Instead, Pauline elected to spend whatever time was left to her enjoying life to the max with family and friends, and wrapping up her affairs.
She was great fun, a kind person, an erratic car driver, and much more besides.
The photo was taken on her last birthday -- 12 August (for the huntin' and shootin' crowd, that's the start of the grouse shooting seaon, the Glorious Twelfth).
Condolences to her family and her many other friends around the world. Pauline, thanks for everything.
6 comments:
How very sad but it was her time. It really was her time as she had fought so hard to do things her way and she outlived all the forecasts. She was originally Anne's friend and I only met her after I had met Anne but I am so proud to be able to say that I knew her.
Pauline was here with us in Spain in the early summer and both Annie and I felt that it was a privilege to have given her the sun and
flowers [she really liked the roses].
Anne will read your e-mail in LA where she is just now and I know that she also will be so sad at the news.
From Carmela's earlier e-mail we understand that Pauline's funeral will be after T & A return so this will make it early November. Both Annie and I are in the UK arriving the 1st and leaving the 6th and we
so hope we will be able to attend and say good-bye to a very brave friend and a really nice person.
David
David,
I saw that too: she really was a very brave and a very nice person.
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For anyone who would like to post a remembrance or comment, if you have no success at posting a comment here -- it happens -- please feel free to email me and I will post on yr behalf, using only yr first name and initial (if applicable). Thanks.
What a lovely idea to gather remembrances of Pauline on your blog! I was a colleague of Pauline's at Rashid School in Dubai, and I really appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the remembrances online since I was be unable to attend the funeral. If many friends and family members post their thoughts, we can all share in the celebration of her life.
I am sad, of course, to hear of Pauline's death, but I marvel again at how fiercely she faced her illness and went on living life to the fullest. She was an inspiration to me and I will miss her as a colleague and a friend. My condolences to her family and other friends.
Kathy B
I will miss Pauline. She was a great friend and I always admired her enthusiasm for whatever venture she was engaged in - sailing and camping in Oman, her house in France, teaching in Macau. She was a real trooper. This was very evident this last few years as she tackled life as a cancer patient. We had a number of talks about what she might be doing but she made it very clear to me that she had no fear of death whatsoever. She knew this was likely - indeed this last year she knew it was inevitable. But it didn't give her any concern. If she was worried it was simply the fear of pain.
I visited her a few times in the hospice and she was very comfortable - and in one way she was extremely lucky (as she well knew) - and that was that she had the complete support of Alison and Tim who have dedicated their lives this last year to ensuring Pauline had everything she needed. They could not have done more. Last night when Ann called me to tell me Pauline had gone peacefully in her sleep, I was relieved and happy that Pauline had got the dying she wanted.
I know I speak for all those who went on holiday with Pauline in Skye last year, just after she had received the worst possible diagnosis, in saying we were astonished and touched by the stoicism, hunour and concern for others she showed then and in the year that followed. Her apparent buoyancy must have often been a mask for what she was feeling inwardly, and that means great courage should be added to the long list of her qualities.
Andy Roche
What a beautiful page and my condolences. I was wondering if this was the same Pauline Harrison who taught in a small school in Macau set up for the children of families working for Cable & Wireless from 1982 to 1986(approximately)?
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