A tribute to Isabel Jones

I was fortunate to get to know her very well, particularly after my nephew married her daughter. But, even before that there was an enormous amount of mutual respect between us and we shared many an hour on the telephone bemoaning the lack of sensitivity in the corporate world for consumers. And whingeing to each other about the way the big media companies treated their journalists.

Always busy

Isabel was one of the busiest people I have ever known. At the height of her career she was holding down a full-time newspaper job and at the same time managing a weekly television show and radio programme. And if that weren't enough, she was continually meeting with captains of industry and downtrodden consumers.

And in the few minutes she had left over in the day she would be compiling cookery books, meeting chefs and spending time in her kitchen producing magical nosh in every possible shape and form.

And yet she still managed time for her family and friends.

Frustrated

Latterly Isabel had not had it easy. As an enormously energetic woman she found it frustrating and highly annoying to be ill. Due to the deterioration in the health of husband, Barry, some years ago, Isabel took on the role of breadwinner with a passion and loyalty that was quite astounding.

She was an enormously loyal person. To her husband whom she looked after without complaint and to her employers, her family and her friends.

She was a woman for whom honest answers were a way of life. For whom justice was the only goal.

Isabel developed a heart condition some time ago and no sooner was this under control than she was once again admitted to hospital, this time with a respiratory problem. There was no question that Isabel had even remotely considered dying, but it was clear that this week her body simply could not keep up with her.

Gratitude

The South African consumer owes an enormous debt of gratitude to Isabel Jones. No one will ever fully appreciate the enormous contribution she has made to the corporate sector becoming so much more consumer friendly than it was three decades ago.

And certainly many mass media companies will never fully realise how their brand integrity was so greatly enhanced by having Isabel Jones as part of their editorial teams.

I was always enormously honoured when Isabel would phone me for advice. And amused because there was certainly nothing I could teach her.

And my admiration for her journalistic integrity was never higher than when, on my very first day on the job at BMW South Africa, I had a phone call from Isabel demanding answers as to why a BMW owner had not had his problems sorted out. I thought it was some sort of joke. She didn't.

And needless to say that BMW owner had his problems sorted out very, very quickly.

In recent years we mostly met at family gatherings on Christmas Eve and at Easter, at weddings and christenings. She was always a great conversationalist and confidante.

I will miss her.