Emmie Gous mourned

Close friend and a founder of the Pendoring Awards, specialist writer and editor, Wilma de Bruin, paid tribute to Emmie as a truly remarkable person and an exceptionally gifted PR. "She was a fantastic, supportive colleague, a warm and compassionate person, a dear friend. No fuss, no nonsense. It was a pleasure and an honour working with her. And we will all miss her tremendously.

"She was a hard and diligent worker. Even when she was so desperately ill because of the chemo, and could not drive her own car, she insisted going along to see sponsors, founder members, the ad agency or whoever. She also always came up with such innovative ideas - The Boss of the Year was her brain child.

"Besides being a workaholic, Emmie was a warm-hearted, generous 'mensch' with a heart as big as a taxi: that her children, Fanie and Hestia, can vouch for. Two weeks before her death, during the weekend of Pendoring's judging, she still meticulously prepared the thank you notes for each of the judges, which I collected from her home. She was already too sick to be at the judging."

A former international Pendoring judge, Jan Coehoorn, Ogilvy Netherlands, emailed his condolences to the Pendoring organisers and family: "We have just heard the bad news concerning Emmie and want to condole with the loss of this nice and friendly, hardworking woman. We will remember Emmie's last visit to The Netherlands as one of the Pendoring Highlights and share our sympathy especially with the children, her many friends and dear colleagues."

Klasie Wessels: chairman: FCB Johannesburg, said in his tribute: "I have known and worked with Emmie for over 10 years, and enjoyed every minute spent in her company. Her warm personality, bright enthusiasm and intense passion for life... and the Afrikaans language... was infectious. As a professional, she was untouchable and her vision for the Pendoring Awards an inspiration to us all. The industry has lost a critical cog, the world a true fighter."

Commented Charl Nel, of 9November: "Emmie worked until the end and had an amazing zest for life."

Emmie was widely respected and loved by all in the industry who knew her and she will be missed by us all. God bless, Emmie and we hope you are now at peace and pain free.

She leaves her two children, Fanie and Hestia. In lieu of flowers at her funeral, the family would prefer funds be donated to one of the cancer organisations - details will be provided in due course.