Sue was born in St Thomas’ Hospital to her parents Christine and John Andrews on Tuesday the 16th of August 1960. She was joined in the world a few years later by her little brother Christopher with whom she always shared a very close bond.
 
Sue’s early life was spent in Brixton where the family lived in, what was at the time, one of the modern high-rise blocks complete with a sophisticated underfloor heating system. Unfortunately, one that none of the residents, including her parents, could actually afford to run so her abiding memory was of it being cold all the time. She would later use this as one of her many examples of the collective stupidity of men. She was adamant that no women would ever make such a mistake and certainly not her.
 
She wasn’t anti-men. They could be very loveable and not entirely without merit. Just not particularly good at the things that mattered, certainly not compared to women, and they all lacked anything she recognised as good sense. An opinion she formed early on that none of the men in her life did much to alter. Myself very much included.
 
In 1969 the family moved out to the then quite leafy suburb of Swanley where Sue spent the rest of a happy childhood including regular extended family gatherings at which she also enjoyed a very close friendship with some of her cousins.
 
From an early age her passion for art and literature was very evident. Throughout her life and right to the very end she was an avid and voracious reader but as a youngster she could also be frequently seen sitting in a corner somewhere writing her own beautifully illustrated stories or just simply drawing.
 
After the move to Swanley her education continued at Wilmington Grammar School for Girls or Dartford Technical High School as it was known at the time. It was also here that she met her childhood best friend Tamsin.
 
Sue was a hardworking and bright pupil at school or at least she was in any subject that didn’t involve numbers. She left school with three good A levels topped by her rather surprising Religious Education A grade.
 
Sue was definitely the product of both her parents. With the creativity, compassion and fun from her dad she also had the sensible, realistic and practical side from her mum, and this is the side she would always use when making key decisions in life. As someone else has commented she always seemed to have a plan. Hope for the best but plan for the worst was her very sensible mindset.
 
Somewhere along the way her upbringing and education had also given her a very strong moral code which became the core of her character and outlook. A deeply held view of right and wrong, an intense dislike of any dishonesty and injustice, and a deep compassion for people and a desire to help them. So, when she left school what she most wanted to do was to join the police and she also felt strongly that they needed people like her.
 
Sadly, even though a recruitment officer she met agreed with her entirely it turned out that those involved in the selection process did not. Although pretty disappointed at the time Sue did not dwell on it and as with everything, she quickly put it behind her and moved on.
 
She had previously agreed with her mother that if she didn’t get into the police, she would continue her education with a degree. So armed with her religious education A grade, her long red hair and motorbike, she arrived at Hatfield polytechnic. And even though a degree was not part of her original plan she approached university life as she did with everything by getting fully involved and stuck in. There were no half measures with Sue. 
 
So, amongst the parties, the politics, parachuting and everything else, she managed to fit in all the work to get her excellent English and Economics degree.
 
Sue came out into the middle of a recession so getting a job was not quite as immediate as she had hoped but after quickly adding yet another qualification to her list of achievements she was soon employed and embarked on her career as an accountant. It was an ironic twist that the girl who hated numbers at school turned out to be brilliant with them at work.
 
It also gave her the independence she dearly sought, and she soon bought her own home in Forest gate where she lived for the next 13 years.
 
Work and career were important to Sue, but she also firmly believed in the mantra of working to live not living to work. A lesson she later kept trying to get me to learn. Having the independence of her own house and car were central to Sue’s plan but beyond this life for her was definitely not about collecting things it was about experiences.
 
So, there was plenty of clubbing, parties and holidays with cousin Helene and best friend Jo amongst others.
There was also theatre, opera, galleries, comedy, ice skating, riding, and motorcycling. A full and active life.
But it wasn’t just about fun it was also about standing up for things she believed in. Marching with the miners, CND, or Anti-Nazi league.
 
Marriage was one thing that was never in her original plan but then she met me at work when she arrived as a temp accountant. Within a week of us meeting, I had invited Sue to a gig of the band I was in. Of course this was very much a win-win situation. We always wanted extra people at the gigs. It just so happened that I also fancied the pants off her. Afterwards we talked way into the early hours. This was the start of what was at the heart of our relationship right to the end. Through all the ups and downs of married life the thing that never changed was that we absolutely adored each other’s company and just talking about anything and everything. So our love flourished quickly, and I soon joined her in her lovely little house in Forest gate and on September 25th 1992 we were married at Hextable Methodist church. 
 
In 1996 we moved back to the Swanley area ready to start our family and we became the proud parents of our beautiful and much-loved son James when he was born in 1999.
 
It was clear pretty early on that although Jamie was outstandingly bright, he was also very challenging, so the later diagnosis of Asperger’s was not much of a surprise. 
 
Ensuring the best possible childhood and education for Jamie became the absolute focus of Sue’s considerable ability and energy for, basically, the rest of her life.
 
This started with mainstream primary schooling but even this required micro-managing the school and the LEA to get the right support for him. Being Sue, she also got fully involved in the activities of the school charity, FOSP. 
 
And as if this wasn’t enough, she then trained as a voluntary advisor for Citizen’s advice bureau and every Wednesday whilst Jamie was at St Paul’s she became one of those amazing people giving advice to all comers on law, benefits, health, debt and everything else that CAB does.
 
After St Paul’s Sue started the years of home schooling to get him through GCSEs. Not only did she manage to get the school and LEA to accept this decision she actually got them to actively support it.
 
So, for the next 6 years she became the most amazing home teacher. History lessons in castles, Biology lessons at Darwin’s house, Science lessons in museums, Geography lessons at the beach, English lessons at the Theatre. Memories that I am certain James will cherish for ever.
 
Sue was immensely proud of James and of course loved him more than anything else in the world, but he was unbelievably hard work. She put absolutely everything of her being and energy into him.
 
The early battles with the school and education authority, the home schooling itself, the almost constant arguments with Jamie, getting him through his GCSEs, then back into college for A levels and then on to university. The efforts this took were truly monumental and it was all down to her.
 
This is the one thing in her life above all others that she was proud of and quite rightly because she could not have achieved a better outcome or given Jamie any better start in life.
 
Sue loved and cared for her extended family with a passion. Particularly the younger members many of whom for which she was not just great fun to be around but an invaluable role model, mentor, and guide. I know that they will all miss her warmth, advice, and support. We certainly know that Christmas for some of us can sadly never ever be the same without her.
 
She had a fabulous sense of humour and could be incredibly funny and witty.
 
Sue never stood on the sidelines, she always got involved and if she undertook a job whatever it was, it was always done properly.
 
She acquired an amazing set of close friends who enriched her life greatly as she enriched theirs. I know that she was proud and honoured to have been part of your lives as indeed you were part of hers.
Sue was a fantastic friend who was not only very loyal, but she had the rare quality and ability to truly listen to people, but especially to those she cared for.
 
She was fearless and the first in line to stand up and challenge those who she felt were doing wrong. Whether that was drunken vandalising youths in the village or the local landlord who was encouraging joyriders.
 
She could of course be somewhat challenging herself. Stubborn, dogmatic, and inflexible for in her absolute determination for things to be done properly sometimes that simply meant it had to be done her way. But however annoyed and frustrated this might make us it could never really diminish our love and admiration for her, as it was, without exception, always done with the best possible intentions and for the benefit of everyone else. For we had to accept that this was as much about what made her who she was as the smile that would light up a room.
 
For me there was nothing in the world more joyous than to see Sue at those times when she was truly happy but nothing more devastating than seeing her on the few occasions when she was truly sad.
 
The bravery with which she faced the final few months knowing she was dying was extraordinary. And throughout it all and through all the suffering her biggest concern as ever was for others and not herself. Worried about how others were coping and how they would cope when she was gone. Mostly of course concern for myself and James.
 
Hers was a life of honesty and integrity, of caring and giving, of listening and teaching.Sometimes of sadness and frustration, but also great moments of absolute joy and love. It was a life well lived albeit tragically cut short far too soon. She was who she was, she knew who she was, and no one could take that away.
 
For me the hole she leaves is, well, beyond measure and utterly devastating. She will of course live on in our hearts but most of all, she will live on in the ways that she will have informed and transformed how those who were closest to her view the world. Without any doubt at all better as a direct result of her influence.
 
You are gone now my darling but I will miss you and love you forever.