We first met Suzy over 30 years ago, when David appointed her as his secretary when he was a Professor at Bristol University. She rapidly turned out to be not only exceptionally efficient and good at the job, but also one of the kindest and nicest people we knew: always good company, always very kind and caring, and always full of laughter and good humour. Indeed, she was so much appreciated by the Department that when she got itchy feet and wanted to go to India overland, David wangled a 4 month sabbatical for her – previously unheard of in Bristol University secretarial circles! Some years later and after we had moved to Oxford, Suzy came to live with us for several months following a period of travelling abroad for a year or so. She became an instant member of the family and adored by our three children. In particular, they remember with great fondness the very happy times in the following couple of years when she came on family holidays with us to Tuscany and Brittany.
During the time she worked for him at Bristol University, David always felt that her talents and abilities far exceeded those required of a secretary. So we were delighted to learn that sometime after moving to Cambridge, she (with originally just a few O levels!) was lecturing to medical students! But her real talents – her kindness, her sense of caring for others, her intelligence and organising ability – have become manifest in what she has done for the Mills Road Association in Cambridge. There are few other people in Britain who have done so much in such a short time for their local community.
Lesley and David Smith (Edinburgh)
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