Dearest Dan, William, Thomas and Ben. 

What a formidable force your wife and mum was.  She loved you all so fiercely and spoke of you often with an open heart.  She regaled stories of graduations and late night hospital visits, university trips, missed flights and so many other life moments with each of you and her face always lit up as she did.  I cannot imagine the Fleur sized hole she has left in your lives.

I came to know Fleur 15 years ago.  I joined EY in South Africa and came over for a business trip to Luxemburg in February 2009. I remember the day – 1 February.  It was my birthday and Fleur lent her voice to the cacophony of Happy Birthday singing from those around the table.  She and I go a long way back.  I loved her pragmatism the most.  Knowing which battles to fight and when to walk on by.  I learnt that from her and when she saw my frustration arise she would always remind me of this important life lesson. Thank you my friend for caring x 

I will never forget coming for dinner to your home in Oval in February 2020.  Having just moved back from the Middle East, Fleur extended the welcome she was known for.  That was the night I got to meet you, Dan, and to have the incredible privilege to spend time with Ben.  I will never forget sitting around the dining table in the kitchen swopping stories, laughing and feeling like I was in the heart of a family.  

Fleur was so thoughtful to me. On leaving EY in 2023 it was her who reached out to me the most.  Checking in. Saying hi. I am so grateful for her kindness.  And I give eternal thanks that she and I saw each other in late October 2023 and had one of the most wonderful dinners together, talking about our lives and plans and reminiscing about all the work trips together over the years.  We were planning many more fun outings together.  How sad I feel that they will never came to fruition. 

I recently watched the clip of Fleur on Youtube again talking about her adoption and finding her birth family members by pure coincidence and it made my heart swell.  She really did have an extraorinary outlook on life and a resilience and strength that was to be admired. And she will always be one of my favourite storytellers – compelling and funny and wry.  

As you slowly come to live your lives without her in it, please know that she was deeply treasured by me. May she be remembered with the love, kindness and thoughtfulness she showed me and many others.

Keeping you all in my thoughts, 

Gina 

xoxo