Moss Vale resident Cheryl Roche passed away from breast cancer on August 31.
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Cheryl's sister Beryl Mason said she was a wonderful woman who had touched many hearts and would be missed terribly.
"We must let her go and remember her sweetly - she will live on in our hearts," Beryl said.
The beloved daughter, mother, wife, sister and friend was initially diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and undertook a mastectomy in November that year.
In 2014 she went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy which kept the cancer at bay.
Tragically, Cheryl's husband passed in 2016 and in 2017 her cancer resurfaced.
It was then that she made the decision not to undergo further treatment.
Cheryl accepted her fate and at the time of her death said "Jesus is with me. I can see him. God is ready for me."
"You get frustrated," she said after he diagnosis.
"The outcome doesn't outweigh the effort."
Cheryl was originally one of 10 siblings.
Sadly, there are only five left with three loved ones already succumbing to cancer.
Born on August 16 1953 in Dubbo NSW Cheryl Agnes Mcdonald was the ninth child of 10 children.
Cheryl dedicated 30 years of her life to the profession of nursing and raised a family.
"She was a good baby, toddler, teen and then a wonderful woman, mother and wife," Beryl said.
Her sister said nothing was a trouble for Cheryl.
Hardships she encountered were shrugged off as how it was meant to be.
"Cheryl cared for others often denying herself privileges and niceties," she said.
"As a big sister I cannot remember at any time her being a nuisance or causing any trouble, for she was a peacemaker, meek and mild but could be a force to be reckoned with.
"Cheryl had an odd but hidden sense of humour."
Faced with the inevitable the kind-hearted woman had only one item on her bucket list.
Cheryl wanted to re-enact an iconic scene from Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Armed with an assortment of coloured cloth, sparkles, sequins and feather boas Beryl embraced the challenge to fulfill her sister's wish head on.
The Southern Highlands sisters took to the streets of Bundanoon on May 6 2019, where Cheryl had the opportunity to reign as queen for the day.
As a mother of two children and grandmother of three, Cheryl believed you couldn't be sad and sit behind a door crying. She lived life with her father's advice close to her heart.
"Life is not about what happens to you, it's about what you do with it."
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
