Marguerite and Leni Johnson were loving their life on a beautiful Greek island, having secured the retirement they dreamed of.
They had been living in Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos.
The couple, from Newcastle, tragically died in a car crash on the island last week aged 60 and 59 respectively.
It occurred close to where another crash claimed the lives of two young men, aged 16 and 18, last May.
Marguerite was a world-renowned emerita professor of classics at University of Newcastle, where she taught for 25 years.
The couple's daughter Katherine Johnson, who is doing her master's in archaeology in Athens, said Marguerite was "so talented".
"Everything she touched was gold," Katherine said.
Marguerite and Leni lived at Mayfield with their children, Katherine and Jackson, for almost 20 years.
Katherine, 23, said her two mothers were "soulmates".
"You've never seen two better suited people," Katherine said.
"Leni was the powerhouse of our family. Any skill she wanted to have, she could learn it in one day.
"She renovated multiple houses. She was the most beautiful and funny person you'd ever meet."
Jackson, 27, said his mums were "my whole life".
"They taught me how to be a man and they were proud of the man I became. It shows the strength of female guidance in a young man's life," he said.
Marguerite grew up at Kurri Kurri and Leni at Blacktown.
"They were two women from the sticks who now lived in Greece," Katherine said.
Family friend Edyn Chapman started a GoFundMe for Katherine and Jackson.
"Leni and Marg were the kind of people who wrapped you in warmth the moment you met them," Edyn said.
University of Newcastle ancient history lecturer Ryan Strickler said Professor Johnson "exemplified everything that regional education is about".
"She was a first generation university student, a literal coal miner's daughter who grew up to be one of the most prolific and impactful scholars in her field using her Newcastle education," Dr Strickler said.
"She spent her career paying this forward through undergraduate and postgraduate education, with a knack for identifying young talent from a range of backgrounds and encouraging them to excel."
Australasian Women in Ancient World Studies (AWAWS) posted an obituary online, saying they were "shocked and saddened" to hear of Marguerite's death.
"She was a brilliant, kind and thoughtful supporter, mentor and teacher of so many students, friends and colleagues in Australia and abroad," the statement said.
Anastasia Bakogianni, president of AWAWS, said "Marguerite selflessly volunteered her time, energy and expertise not only to our organisation but to the discipline of classics".
"Marguerite was a wonderful and enthusiastic colleague and a real pleasure to work with," Dr Bakogianni said.
Marguerite was a scholar of ancient Greek and Latin literature, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus and Ovid.
"Her interests and contributions span Ancient Greek, Roman and Australian religions, magical practices, cultural history, lived realities, gender studies and classical receptions," the AWAWS obituary said.
Marguerite was an honorary professor at the University of Queensland when she died. She was also a member of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
Alastair Blanshard, an academy member with the University of Queensland, said, "the tragic loss of Marguerite has left a huge hole in Australian classical studies".
"She was a maverick who approached the ancient world with an intellectual curiosity that refused conventional boundaries," Professor Blanshard said.
"She was a wonderful teacher and a committed and supportive mentor to numerous graduate students."
As a cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, she published nine books, including Sexuality in Greek and Roman Society and Literature.
She was a feminist, supporter of women and defender of freedom of speech.
