Death of Carole May... (Mike and Terry related)

[Joe Covenant Lamb]

I met Carole in 1999, through the wonders of this relatively new thing
called "the internet."

Not long after I created the alt.music.Mike-Oldfield newsgroup, Carole
came and joined us. She was ever witty, charming and a joy to engage
with. Through her tireless energy she helped others on the NG with
problems, info and anything else she could turn her hand to. Through all
this she eventually went on to PA for Terry Oldfield, again, thanks to
her, I was given the opportunity to talk to Terry and pass on a
remastering of his "In Search of the Trojan War" album.

Carole went to great lengths to act for Terry, even from the other side
of the world, again, bringing her boundless passion to bear and diving
headlong into something she loved.

It would be perfect to say that these connection took Carole to a life
of mingling with well-known and honoured musicians, but as usually
happens to the best of people, it did not pan out. Carole refused to
allow any feelings of disconsolation mire her and threw herself into her
photography, which, those of us who have had the privilege of viewing,
know could be astounding!

I was lucky enough to meet Carole on one of her trips across the pond,
we were able to spend a few days together letting her see some of the
Scottish countryside - her love for this country was baffling to me
(being a native), but her joy in being her was genuine and inspiring.

That Carole has passed so suddenly and unexpectedly is beyond words, but
if there is any consolation to be taken by her sudden passing, it is
that she died where she had always wanted to live, surrounded by her
friends.

It would be too easy to throw around platitudes for someone like her,
so, suffice it to say that she was a wonderful and beautiful person, in
the truest sense of the words.
Goodbye Carole, you'll be sadly missed.