By eight, Marion had survived the Blitz, living around the corner from Battersea Power Station, by 15 had left school to bring money in to help support her parents. In her 20s, took evening classes while working at Kodak and was married to her first husband.

By 30 had her first son with Zbyszek Iwaszko and began work in the exhibition and 'male centric' defence industry, outfitting the yellow 'Busby Special' train for BT(GPO) and alternating the Farnborough/Paris airshows.

The subsidiary of our family company, Miltra, developed the only available Warsaw Pact training aids for NATO countries, alongside the flagship, scale model MGB training kit. Then setting up a fully computerised design agency in the 1980s, marketing Ferranti's tender for the T23 weapons systems

She loved hosting parties on her boat for business and friends while managing to fit in a quick jaunt on her own around Australia and Singapore and relaxing in Key West or the Highlands.

Even Parkinson's didn't stop her working for 10 years, deciding finally to relax a bit though at 75.

Strange then perhaps to say at 89, gone before her time. Considering the above are just some highlights, mum certainly made the most of those nine lives! - Andrew Iwaszko