Pauline Maria Tyack-Hunt passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008 in the loving arms of her husband, Herb Hunt, with her parents at her side. She was 42.

Pauline fought with extraordinary strength to live through an aggressive cancer because of her passionate love for her young sons, Ned and Will. She exemplified grace and grit the whole way through, inspiring a legion of close friends and admirers with her bright intelligence, openhearted warmth and enthusiasm for life. She is held in the hearts of many as “our bright and shining star.”

Pauline was born in Hammersmith, London, England on Dec. 31, 1965. She lived her early life in Kingston and Surbiton, England, and attended Lady Eleanor Holles School in Hampton, where she was a top student and a keen lacrosse and tennis player.

In 1983, she received an Exhibition Scholarship to St. Anne’s College, Oxford University, where she earned a B.A. and M.A. in law. A brief stint working in London law offices convinced her to shift instead to a career in marketing.

She moved from England to Seattle in 1994, while working in international marketing for the Aldus Corporation. Following the Aldus/Adobe merger later that year, she became a senior marketing manager for Adobe Systems.

She started her own technology marketing consulting business in 1999. Her current firm, Tyack Majerus, continues to assist a range of technology companies to develop mature marketing and public relations strategies.

Pauline moved to Mercer Island with her husband, David Collings, in 1997. They had two children, Ned and Will, prior to David’s death in 2001.

In 2003, Pauline met and married her soul mate, architect Herb Hunt of Whidbey Island, as he designed an exquisite Mutiny Bay home for her and the boys. Herb has adopted Pauline’s sons and is their proud and loving dad, active in the Mercer Island Y-Guides and in Little League baseball. Herb’s children by a previous marriage, Cameron and Breanne, formed an especially warm dimension of Pauline’s new family.

Pauline is survived by her husband, Herb Hunt, her children Edward Collings Hunt (Ned), William Collings Hunt (Will), Breanne Hunt and Cameron Hunt. She is also survived by her mother and stepfather, Wendy and Alan Perriam of England, her father and stepmother, Tim and Angela Tyack of Italy, her sister and brother Penny and Alistair Perriam, her brothers Sebastian and Silas Tyack, her mothers-in-law Marilyn Collings and Leta Hunt, her sisters-in-law, Kim Hunt Klinke and Lorena Hunt Welch, her brother-in-law Traynor Hunt, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express its profound gratitude to the Whidbey Island members of the “Pauline Patrol” who, along with members on Mercer Island, have helped the family with meals, childcare and medical appointments the past two years.

Whidbey Island was the place Pauline loved best, so she will be laid to rest at Sunnyside Cemetery near Coupeville, in a private ceremony. A celebration of Pauline’s life will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4 at the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave SE, Mercer Island.

Remembrances may be made in Pauline’s name to the Safe Crossings Foundation, whose mission is to help children cope with grief (www.safecrossingsfoundation.org or Safe Crossings Foundation, 6548 51st Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115).