I first met Yolanda in 1966 when I joined University of Malaya Library, Kuala Lumpur just after graduating. Yolanda was given the task of training me in the intricacies of cataloguing. It was my good fortune to have Yolanda as my cataloguing mentor and her guidance gave me a very firm foundation in the Library of Congress Classification schedules and cataloguing processes.

We hit it off from the very beginning and became firm friends—a friendship that has spanned more than four decades. After Yolanda left for Singapore to take up the appointment as Librarian, SEAMEO RELC, we continued to stay in touch. We shared the same star sign and she never missed sending me birthday wishes over the years.

After I migrated to Australia with my family, we continued our friendship. She took every opportunity to catch up over a meal or coffee whenever I stopped over in Singapore on my travels. We have always enjoyed our get-togethers—animated conversations and punctuated with peals of laughter. When I stopped over in Singapore last November, Kim See organised a dinner at the Keppel Club. Little did I realise that that it would be our last meal together with Yolanda.

Yolanda was a generous, kind and a loyal friend. I will miss her.

Contributed by Ho Chooi Hon