Tragic death of retired deputy head

8:15am Wednesday 30th April 2008

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A holiday of a lifetime was cut tragically short when a well-known primary school teacher collapsed and died while in Australia.

Catherine, known as Cathy, Packman, aged 61, from Sandy Haven, died on Friday from a suspected brain haemorrhage, while visiting friends of her older sister's near Sydney.

After going out for a meal on Thursday evening, Mrs Packman collapsed and was taken to Sydney's North Shore Hospital.

Mrs Packman was the former deputy head and acting head of Mary Immaculate School, Haverfordwest, and after teaching there for around 17 years, was in her third year of retirement.

She had been married to Richard Packman, managing director of PBI, for 36 years and the couple have three sons, Rhodri, Jamie and Nicholas Packman.

Mr Packman said: "It was all very sudden, there is no rhyme or reason for these things.

"She was active, fit and lived life to the full. She didn't have enough years I'm afraid - 61 is no age. We had plans to do all sorts when I retire which will never come to fruition now.

"Our middle son Jamie managed to get across from New Zealand, where he was working, before she died. It was a very a harrowing Thursday and Friday for Jamie, it has been pretty desperate for us all.

"I spoke to her on Thursday morning before work strangely enough and it was all over late Thursday, but that call has been of some comfort to me.

"She will be greatly missed by all the family, me and our sons and all her friends. We have had calls from her old friends from Swansea College and her old school friends. I clearly don't mind talking about her - she was wonderful."

The sisters had only left for their four-week holiday the Monday before Mrs Packman's death.

A spokesman for Mary Immaculate School paid tribute to Mrs Packman, saying: "Cathy Packman was a dedicated and committed member of staff who spent many years at Mary Immaculate School. She was held in high regard by colleagues, friends, parents and pupils, she will be sorely missed."

The family must now wait for a post-mortem examination to be completed before Mrs Packman's body can be repatriated, hopefully sometime in the next week.

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