Aunty Marie how would we do justice to such a unique human being in more than one sense. She was such a passionate and committed person and would challenge everything you did that in her eyes were not correct. I thought that aunty Marie was immortal. She was such a strong person but at the same time very sensitive. She started to teach my fifth child this year. Little Leila 7 years old. We had it all planned out that aunty Marie would at least teach for the next 5 to ten years still. She had an amazing gift to bring out the best in each child. My heart nearly broke today when Leila asked "when am i going back to piano". She can't wait to go back. She also said "mommy, you don't have to sit by me for the next seminar", that is how confident she had become in such a short space of time. I could not tell her that aunty Marie passed away. It was such a sad moment. I had to hide it from her. The effect that aunty Marie had on our family. She made me believe that each one of the five is musical and talented but in my heart I knew it was her hard work and magic that she had with children. She could turn any child into a musician. On a personal level we have grown close over the years and every day after a lesson she would come to the car and give feedback of the lesson she had and encourage my children. The children became so driven and self motivated that it added to all the other aspects of their lives. We would have our seminars to critique the children but she would use that time to build the children instead of breaking them. Sometimes she would come across harsh and strict but underneath she had the softest heart. She loved her faith and would fight for it. She did not hesitate to stand alone and firm in what she believed to be true. When she realised that my children were not receiving the best cathechist classes she offered to teach them. She did so without wanting any favours in return. My children loved every minute of those classes. She use to go with me to concerts, choir festivals and competitions. If the standard was not to her liking she would comment loud and not always realise that people could hear her. I would tease her and tell her that I am not going to take her anywhere with me anymore. We would have a great laugh. She was a perfectionist when it came to music and planning for her music concerts at the end of the year. How empty our lives will be without these quality high standard concerts. It was a sad and blessed experience to have been at aunty Marie's sick bed a day before she died. I could spend a few precious moments with her thanks to the family that allowed me to see her because the doctors told me that I was not allowed to see her. Visits were limited to family members only at the moment I arrived. Thank God my last words to her were. "Aunty Marie, we all love you" she squeezed my hand so tight. That was the last time I saw aunty Marie alive. She will be greatly missed by my family. She will leave a void that will never be filled by anyone else. In my heart she is not replacable. May you dwell amongst the Saints in heaven, aunty Marie. You will remain forever in our hearts. You have been taken away from us too sudden and unexpected. You still had so much to offer. We will never completely understand the ways of God. Let us move forth in our lives living your legacy of total committment to what we undertake in our lives. We all love you aunty Marie. May your soul rest in peace. The Labercensie family.