Emma Sarah Thérèse Panas (15 Oct 1991 - 31 Jul 2020)

In loving memory of Emma Sarah Thérèse Panas who sadly passed away on 31st July 2020.

Emma had a passion and joy for life. As a child Emma was lively, full of fun and occasionally naughty. Emma was much smarter than she gave herself credit for and she was also incredibly curious, with a great many different interests. Among other things she loved music, films, history (especially the history of The Second World War), stories about the weird and sometimes macabre and food, especially Italian and Chinese (particularly really good dim sum). Emma always knew about new bands and their music, seemingly long before others heard about them. She loved introducing people to her latest discoveries. Despite her love for the latest music Emma's favourites were artists who are now in their later years - Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, Celine Dion and above all Kate Bush.

Emma's love of music saw her go to music college when she was 16. There she met Duncan and together they formed the band Paper Crows. During the 4 years they were together as a band they wrote songs together, toured (they even played a small stage at Glastonbury one year), were signed to a major record label and released an album. Duncan and Emma remained the best of friends although those words don't really capture what they meant to each other and they remained incredibly close.

Emma had quite a lot to deal with in her young life and she didn't let and didn't want any of the issues she faced define who she was. Emma was a truly extraordinary young woman who believed in living life to the full. Em lit up any room she was in with her humour, warmth and love for life. A number of her friends suggested she could have had a successful career as a stand up comedian, with her quick witted responses and insightful observations about the world and people around her.

Those who knew Emma well know that she had an inate sense of right and wrong. She was also clever, brave, strong, kind, gentle, creative, highly empathetic, funny, warm and an incredibly loyal friend. Emma had time for friends and family even when she was perhaps having to deal with her own pain. She was genuinely happy when those around her were happy and truly delighted in seeing her friends and family do well. Emma seemed to possess wisdom well beyond her years and could very often get a sense of how others saw things and why they behave as they do.

Emma loved learning new things and she had started to learn Korean as she was planning to move to South Korea next year. She was fascinated by the culture, music and also wanted to develop some business ideas there.

Emma loved and was loved by so many people. She will forever be in the hearts and minds of her parents, brothers Daniel and Sebastian (who she affectionately nicknamed Seabass), family and many, many friends. Her birthday was always special to Emma - please remember her every 15th October and raise a glass or two to a beautiful and gentle soul who had an uncanny ability to make everyone she met feel better about themselves.

The pages on this remembrance site have quite a few pictures of Emma as she was, from her very earliest years to her most recent. Emma loved life and above all loved her family and friends. We hope that these pictures will bring some comfort to those who knew and loved an extraordinary young woman.