Goodbye Candygirl

Just to let everyone know that Emma died peacefully early on the morning of February 5th 2004 with her family there. This picture was taken last Thursday as we walked down by the Thames at London Bridge following a bout of shoe window shopping...She was tempted by some furry boots but felt they were a little extravagant. Candygirl was a tough cookie till the end...telling us off for being upset and ordering the nurses around.

This blog was one of the things that made her happy over the last few months. She loved getting everyone's posts as I know you loved reading hers. It would be great if people would like to post their thoughts. I know Emma would have liked to thank you all for your words and support.

We love you Em and will miss you so much.

Meroë, Colin, Linda, Ernest and Rob

Comments

[Caroline]

To Emma's family and Colin
I am so sad to hear the news, I have been thinking about Emma a lot and following her entries on this website.
I knew Emma through Tris, we met at various bars and then spent New Year with her in Wales. Happy memories of the dice game when Emma kept winning and getting all the good prizes. I was amazed at how stylish she looked even when so ill, glamourous hat and lipstick.
My thoughts are with you, love Caroline xx

[David]

To Colin and Emma's family,

Very sorry to hear the news today. My thoughts are with you all. Though a bit disconnected since leaving London, I am glad to have reconnected, albeit virtually and followed the entries on this website. Emma's pages are a fantastic testimony to a fantastic person.

Love David

[JC]

I remember sitting in Leicester Poly canteen in '87 and in walks one of the those people that oozes personality, the type that geeky engineering fresher's never get the chance to sit beside let alone talk to. Over the next 17 years however, I was fortunate enough to spend some of the most enjoyable and memorable periods of my youth with said. From the student party's of Leicester and Newcastle to the weekends in Glasgow and Edinburgh. For those times I will always be grateful to you Emma. You gave me those memories and nothing can take that away !
Much love, much missed - Julian x

[DannySea]

Emma was a very special person, a mixture of a Mile-a-Minute, and Too-Scared-to-Look-Down. I last saw her a month ago in hospital, when she was out of bed, and pretty perky, even though she knew the treatment wasn't working. Even then, she wasn't selfish or obsessed by her troubles, and wanted to know what was going on in my life.

It's tempting to hate the world now that this has happened, when the purr and roar of London just goes on, when it should just stop, shouldn't it? But, we all have a few special memories of her, and we are all part of this noise. We will treasure these thoughts and never forget. And we should treasure our own days too, as she did, right to the end.

She leaves us in a duller place, but we will not forget her light.

Linda, Ernest, Rob, Meroë and Colin - deeply sorry for your loss.

[Carol]

What can I say....
I am so sad to hear the news of Emma's death today. We met at college many moons ago and kept in touch over the years. She came over to Northern Ireland to my wedding in 1992 and I visited her in Scotland and Manchester. I was devastated to have learned of the cancer in August and came over to stay in October.I will treasure my memories of Emma - she was a very special person and I am proud to call her my friend

I am thinking of you all at this difficult time
Love Carol

[Keith]

How is possible to miss someone that you didn't even know?

It seems that this morning, looking at that last smiling picture and reading that she is in fact gone, I am beginning to find out.

I hope all of you that knew Emma find even half the strength that she showed here in the pages of her writing.

[dvc]

To Emma's family and Colin,

Emma made me laugh which is my favourite thing anyone can do, she was fun and beautiful and kind. I'm glad to have had the chance to know her.

I heard about you long before I met you Mr C. Emma couldn't stop grinning whenever she talked about you, once i met you i realised why.

My thoughts are with you all,
dvc

[Tamara]

Goodbye Candy, I already miss you. You are one of the sweetest, kindest, person I've worked with. I will miss your wicked laugh and your big heart.

You were so brave and now you are not here to take the credit. I hope you are reading these wonderful messages and statements about you.

My thoughts are with Meroë, Colin, Linda, Ernest and Rob.

Lots of lots of love from Tamara. x x

[Katie]

Meroe, Linda, Colin, Rob, Ernest,

I am so very sorry to hear the news today. Emma will always be so special, she gave so much to so many of us.

I have so many fantastic memories of Emma - I remember she got us into the Supper Club in Amsterdam by insisting the doorman let us in because we were eating lollypops! and at your birthday Meroe when all dressed up all glam, Emma with pink hair. And Colin, eating my first lobster in Boston, how ace!

Also today when I was at work and not getting much done I was thinking about just how totally amazing Emma always was at getting the best from people. She was such a pro and always made beautiful things. She's an inspiration to us all.

My thoughts are with you,
Much love to you all and to Emma

Katie xx

[Kirsty]

So very sorry to hear the sad news. My thoughts go out to all who knew her, family and friends.
She will certainly be missed.

[Daisy-Winifred]

I was awake through much of last night myself and found sitting watching the stars as always a great means of gaining peace and glimpsing a hope I don't even begin to understand. I am so glad that Emma was surrounded by those who were so special to her heart as I know she is to yours then now and always.

We never met but I was someone who felt the touch of her joy in life her generousity, fearlessness and love for others and for that I am deeply grateful.

I wish her well on her journey and send those dear ones to her heart much love and light.

I think it is one of the most fabulous things that each of us in touching others lives go on through their lives touching others with that spark we shared as part of the process.

I know Emma touched many peoples lives so as far as I am concerned she will live on not only in my heart and of all the others she touched but amazingly will touch so many more people who will never know its her but we will :0)

[Gareth]

The first time I met Emma was during a nightmare project at work. We were suffering at the hands of a prima donna who had a tendency to throw hissy-fits at the drop of a hat. Within a few hours of joining the project, Em pointed out that he was behaving like a big girl's blouse and to stop it. We giggled afterwards.

That introduction set the scene for me - this girl was cool.

I consider myself lucky to have known someone as beautiful as Emma - the world is indeed a sadder place without her.

Love Gareth.

[Marianne]

Dear Candygirl,

Since April 2003 you became more like a special friend than a niece. Your comical text messages would make me laugh in the middle of mundane days. You allowed me to peek around doors most aunts are never given privy to.

Em, you are everyone's inspiration. You are unique.

Bye for now, Fondest Love to you and to Linda, Ernest, Meroe and Rob. I hope Em's courage and spirit will support and comfort you. M XX

[Marianne]

Dear Colin

I only met you once but can see you and Em had a special thing going. Thanks for making her laugh.

Love Aunt M.XX

[David]

I will always remember Emma for her beautiful smile.

Love to you all,

David X

[adie]

Emma Candy - the girl that got excited about colour coding her timeplans!

Its funny,

despite knowing/working/drinking/generally having fun together in london for many many years, i will always remember the bond we had after i left London. I guess when you move to a far away place like australia you really do get to know who your true friends are!

What a special person you truly are em, chatting to you over the last few months has taught me so much about the strengths that we humans are capable of. I am truly a better person for knowing you.

Im so glad that i got to make you noodle soup at your flat on my last visit home. We laughed and smiled as we always did, it will be how i remember you.

First drink i will have tonight will be a vodka and cranberry juice.

Its time to rest now my friend. Your struggle is over. Look down on us every now and again and tell us off for taking everything too seriously.

with love

adie

PS. i have colour coded my timeplans ever since.

[Nik]

Emma was my sister in law and one of my best friends. She was the closest thing I have ever had to a sister and I cannot say how much I am going to miss her. I remember when we got drunk at my hen night. After I dropped her off in the tax she sent me a lovely text to say that she was really looking forward to having a new sister.

I am pleased to say that Rob and I brought some joy into her life in her last couple of weeks with the birth of our daughter sixteen days ago, Emma Louise. Big Emma was the first member of our families to meet little Emma and I am ever so pleased that she was. Emma asked if she could post on the blog about little Emma but didn't the chance to do so. I am very proud that our baby has such a cool namesake. Emma's own namesake was Emma Peel - very cool herself.

Emma was a superstar during my pregnancy. We sometimes seemed to have similar symptoms (belly stuff) and she seemed to like having someone to talk about the same things - like our mutual need to sleep with a variety of strangely placed pillows. To me though it seemed wrong that her symptoms were for something so horrible.

I will miss Emma so very much - I realised tonight I couldn't ring her to talk about my sad day. I am sorry that Emma won't be around to do her aunt duties that I know she really had wanted to do and to see Emma Louise grow up. I suspect Emma would have been the kind of aunt that little Emma would have confided in about boys and gone to talk to when she fell out with us. I know big Emma will be there with us with her big strong spirit.

Linda, Ernest, Meroe and Colin - my love to all of you and especially to you my husband, Rob.

[Sophie]

Dearest Emma,

Would'nt it be cool if you could blog from heaven. You could tell us that your safe and well and describe all the new wierdness that your experiencing now. My whole life i've never belived in heaven (it is the scientist in me!) but today the idea gives me comfort and thinking of you there makes me smile.

Tonight Adie and i'll will salute you with vats of vodka cranberry. Be assured that with every tear shed there is a happy memory and a smile waiting in the wings.

Love

Sophie

[Dom]

Dearest Em,
I wish I could tell you how much you are loved by those who you haven't seen in years. It was so easy to assume we'd all meet up sometime.... in a few months maybe....
Feel so numb. Only just found out you were ill. You have been so strong and brave. Incredibly so.
Will miss your warmth, humour and cheekiness. Had such fun with you, Katie and Paul whilst at Amaze.
I will never forget those times. I will never forget you Em.
Love always,
Dom
xxx

[paul]

i met and got to know emma best when she worked & played in liverpool about 2-3 years ago. We were in touch a few months ago and I asked her to take a look at the website we were making and tell us if it was any good or not. emma was good at these things and she'd tell us if it was rubbish. She helped us with it and showed us where we'd got it wrong, we fixed it up and made it better.

emma was kind, lovely, caring, stylish, talented and more than anything lots and lots of fun, i'll miss her very much...

all my thoughts to everyone closest to her...

bye emma, love paul
x

[Faculty of IT, UTS Sydney, Australia]

The staff at the Faculty of IT in Sydney, (Ernest's new employer) are saddened by what is obviously an enormous loss to the family. We send our condolences and are thinking of you all at this time.

[Staff]

The staff at the Faculty of IT, UTS in Sydney (Ernest's colleagues) are saddened by what is obviously an enormous loss to the family. We send our condolences and are tinking of you at this time.

[will]

emma left a comment on my blog a while back. since then, i've always found strength when checking up on hers. thank you for having an impact on all of the lives you've touched, and i hope there is some peace of mind at last.

[mick angel]

I am missing Emma already.

I also colour-code excel spreadsheets thanks to Emma, though I will never have the flair she had with colour-coded notebook sections.

Thank you Emma for being my friend even when I behaved like a prat and didn't deserve it. Your friends at work hope that you are well, happy and safe wherever you are now.

Look down and wish us well: I will make sure I look up with love and smile back and hopefully it will make you laugh.

mick.
x

[Sharon]

As a friend of her sister, I met Emma only once. My memory is of the widest of wide eyed, fun-filled smiles.
It's very clear from the messages, that others knew that smile and that she'll be very deeply missed.
Much love to Meroe, Colin, Linda, Ernest and Rob