Wan Zaharah Ahmad in memory

Wan Zaharah binti Ahmad passed away last night and was buried at the Kota Damansara Muslim cemetery after Zohor prayer today. She underwent four surgeries over a period of one month and succumbed to the last one. During my last visit in her hospital she was in a state of panic as one of her surgical wounds had apparently burst and she kept asking me to get the doctor to attend to her and that I should not leave until the doctor came. Alas it was the last time I was to see her alive.

Wan was a relative by virtue of of her being married to my cousin Wan Talib. But more than that she was a dear friend, someone who had always been caring, supportive and very kind and generous to me. She was a warm, generous, happy person - always with a friendly smile and laughter and a positive outlook. Wan was an exceptionally good cook and cake-maker and with her husband had built a very successful and lucrative cake-making cottage industry supplying good quality cakes to a wide range of clients, from royalties, to five-star hotels and a huge stable of regular clients. She has now left a legacy of that and it is left to be seen whether the family can maintain that legacy.

I remember the glittering wedding of Wan Zaharah and Wan Talib (which the MC dubbed the Wan and Wan event) in Klang way back in 1975 when my uncle, Wan Talib's father was serving as grand chamberlain to the late Almarhum Sultan Selangor. Wan Zaharah was thereafter 'groomed' by her mother-in-law in the finer aspects of domestic matters which I believed made her the great cook she was till her expiry.

I introduced Wan's cakes and other food to many of my friends and colleaques, many of whom remained her loyal clients till today and who would take her cakes to as far as the US and Japan. We shall all miss her delicious fare and her ever smiling welcome.

Wan came to visit me in Switzerland in Summer of 2008 and together with my brother Wes and sister in law Anis who were visiting me as well we travelled around Switzerland and went as far as Florence, Rome and Venice in Italy. Wan loved to shop and was generously buying presents for her family everywhere we went. She bought so much that she had to leave some behind when she left onwards for England. She taught my cook Hafiz to make her famous nasi dagang, having brought the cooking utensils all the way from KL. The four of us really had a wonderful time in Switzerland and I remember the the pleasant, cheerful and warm conversations we would have everyday at mealtimes. Wan never ever missed her prayers throughout her stay in Switzerland.

Wan Talib gave me the honour to sprinkle the last petals of flowers a pour the last drops of rose water over her grave today. I will not forget the sight of their son Yus clinging to the tombstone reciting a prayer while tears streamed down his cheeks.

Wan Zaharah was a truly wonderful human being, an devoted wife, a loving mother, a good relative and a most dear and loyal friend to many. I will always pray that Allah SWT will bestow upon her all His blessings and place her among the chosen and blessed people, amin.