Issy Quine, who has died at the age of 17, was remembered by her family as a strong, outgoing, jolly, fun and gregarious girl with an infectious laugh.
After a lifelong battle with asthma and allergies which almost claimed her life on several previous occasions, Issy, the daughter of Adrian and Madeleine, of Lazonby, had improved significantly over the last few years.
Her asthma had been manageable, said her father, Adrian who recalled: “She was a real fighter with a strong spirit.”
But it was while boarding at Queen Margaret’s School for Girls, near York — which she loved and had attended since the age of 13 — that Issy suffered what is currently suspected to be a massive asthma attack out of the blue.
Despite the best efforts of school, house and medical staff, paramedics and York hospital, she died on the early morning of November 11, just days before she was due to celebrate her 18th birthday.
“It’s a tragedy that’s affected so many people and the outpouring of grief, support and love that we’ve received from so many people over the last week is just heart-warming,” said Adrian.
“Particularly from pupils, parents and staff at Queen Margaret’s school which Issy adored.
“The support from the local Eden Valley community has also been overwhelming giving us huge strength.
“We are so lucky to have so many lovely people living in the area; what an incredible sense of community and strength and goodness there is in this area.”
He added: “It has left a complete hole in our hearts and left us inconsolable at times. Our lives are that much emptier as a result of the tragedy.”
A “real organiser”, Issy had meticulously planned her 18th birthday celebrations, fine-tuning the proposed menu and hand-writing place names for the dozen or so close school friends due to attend a party in Lazonby.
These organisational skills had come to the fore earlier this year while she was working for her father’s Rail Charter Services Ltd tourist rail service dubbed The Staycation Express.
The train runs along the Settle-Carlisle Line, of which he is a trustee.
“Issy was a great problem solver, too,” said Adrian. “She didn’t wait to be told what to do. If there was something that needing doing, she would work it out herself.
“She was a great leader in that respect for someone so young and it was lovely to see her develop such leadership and to see her relating so naturally with people.”
Born in Edinburgh, Issy initially attended the city’s St George’s school for girls and then Lazonby primary after making the Eden Valley her home from the age of six.
She also spent a short time at Carlisle’s Austin Friars and was a “real country girl” with a love for the countryside, animals and swimming — both at the pool in her home village and in Ullswater, often in the winter.
“She was gutsy and if somebody told her something couldn’t be done she’d always prove them wrong and go about proving her point.
“Many of her school friends and teachers have written to us and fondly talk of her infectious laugh and ready sense of humour; she was an indomitable spirit,” said her father.
“She was very much an extrovert, outgoing, always a glass-half-full sort of girl; very sociable, jolly, fun, gregarious.
“She had a really extraordinary way with people for somebody of her age. She endeared herself to people and people liked her.”
Issy is survived by her parents, Adrian and Madeleine, and her brother, Edward, aged 21.
Her funeral service is due to take place at the Church of St Nicholas, Lazonby, at noon on December 2.
