I have had the pleasure and privilege to know Sue since August 1990, at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, where Sue was the Librarian. As doctors regularly need access and reference to books and journals, the librarian was, not least in the days before the internet, instrumental – beyond just the logistics of pointing to, searching for and lending literature. Sue excelled in this duty, not just in professional knowledge but also, and as importantly, in making the user feel at home in the library, and that, whatever difficulty might be in the way of securing a particular reference, it is foregone Sue will do her best – ‘best’ benchmarked against the standard even of elite hospitals and universities. Thanks to the Sue, the library she stood at the helm of was truly an exemplary medical library. Beyond professional skill, knowledge and eagerness to help, Sue could also deliver her service with supreme efficiency, thanks to her profoundly gentle and kind character, of a height difficult to emulate. For me personally, English not being my original language, Sue was of particular help: spotting, pointing out and rectifying nuances of language usage. We shared books and references on just this topic, and examples remain firmly in memory where, ‘deliberations’, the jury remains out. And, as Sue had taken part, there must be a good linguistic reason. Sue’s legacy will remain etched and cherished in the memory of all those who knew her.