I miss Sally's irreverent comments. Besides being very well-read, she enjoyed popular culture. She loved quoting from famous films or television programmes. A favourite speech was: "He's not the messiah. He's a very naughty boy!" When someone shot down her excellent suggestion during a meeting, she leaned over to me and whispered, "Is it cause I is black?"

I first met Sally in October 1969 when we started at Lady Margaret Hall. She was the first person I felt at ease with and we were soon putting exaggerated Oxford accents around the polished corridors of the college. We shared our life stories and many an essay crisis at midnight. Our friendship has continued over nearly fifty years and I will miss her phone calls, the visits to London and to Winchester, her kindness, her fun, and her very loud laugh.

When I started at Symonds it was Sally that I would go to if I needed anything. She was generous of her time and also knew everything! After a while it was her sense of humour that kept me going. I loved her often ribald humour and ability to cut through the nonsense. Sally's curiosity for the world around her and her interest in young people meant she never seemed old. Even in her last few weeks she would comment on something she had read or would pick up on the ambiguity of a phrase. Always a teacher- I learnt so much from Sally. It is her voice that I can still hear so clearly and although I miss her presence I often find myself visited by a phrase or saying or, more often, her laugh.

It was Sally's pearly green eyeliner that fascinated me. She would wet the brush (always water, never spit) and glide the brush over her eyelid with one sweep. To a pre-teen this was totally fascinating and from that moment she was my friend, sister and role model. Sally was always optimistic often funny and full of love; she made a difference by just being her. I will miss my beautiful, funny sister in law but the love and support she gave to me will stay with me forever.