Haslemere Travel has paid tribute to its oldest member of staff Maureen Bias, who has died aged 86.
Administration assistant Maureen, also known as ‘Aunty Mo’ or ‘the Duchess’, worked at the Surrey travel agency for more than 25 years.
She was described by the agency as someone who “loved life” and had a “wicked sense of humour” as well as being a “stickler for detail” and an avid fan of cruise holidays.
She was put on furlough last year as a result of the Covid pandemic and retired last autumn. She fell ill earlier this year, having moved to a care home suffering from dementia, and died on May 26.
Haslemere Travel owner Gemma Antrobus said Maureen would be sorely missed at the agency, where she was responsible for checking all documentation and personalising itineraries before they were sent out to clients.
She said: “Nothing got past Maureen. She would often pull us all up on departure terminals, airline codes, and the correct locators. Whilst Maureen wasn’t client-facing she was an essential part of the team and one we valued greatly.”
Maureen also attended all inhouse training events, team dinners and client events and was known by suppliers and customers alike.
Antrobus, who described Maureen as “like family”, said: “Any excuse to get dressed up and Maureen would be there. We often gave her the job of looking after the bar; she knew how to make a decent gin and tonic.
“Maureen loved life. Without fail, she would always wear bright pink lipstick, green eyeshadow and have her hair perfects quaffed. She wore her best jewels, plenty of colours and was never without a new handbag.”
She added: “Whilst she didn’t understand the new ways of social media, she was always interested in what we were posting or sending to clients – she didn’t like to miss out on anything. She had an understanding of people and the world that only comes with age and experience and so many times she shared words of wisdom with me.”
Maureen took at least two cruises each year as well as other European holidays and was looked after by her favoured cruise line “like the queen”.
In an interview with Travel Weekly in 2019, she said she had no intention of giving up work any time soon and had just booked her 15th cruise with Oceania Cruises.
Antrobus said: “She loved meeting members of the crew that she had sailed with before and valued their friendship. Maureen loved to take photos and used a real camera….one with a film.
“One of the things I loved about Maureen returning from a trip was the opportunity to sit with her whilst she showed me her photos. She loved to re-live the excursions and tell you her tales.
“She would always give us a write up for the latest magazine or blog and would always make sure she had her picture taken with her Haslemere Travel bag.”