I shared a cuppa with Churchill's daughter

Mark me down as a saddo if you like but the number of times I've read lengthy obituaries and thought 'wow, I wish I'd known him or her' are legion. When in fact, I'd never even heard of any of them until their final curtain call in Lives Remembered or similar.

Occasionally I come across a long-retired legend I'd interviewed a lifetime ago when they were still famous and I was … er … very young. To my shame, my first reaction then is to be mildly surprised they were still alive anyway – though I do offer a moment's fond memory of our long ago meeting.

To digress for a minute though, the nicest times are when one of those celebrated folk appear on the news, older certainly but otherwise looking pretty good. Hoorah!

One such instance recently was seeing Lady Mary Soames, Winston Churchill's last surviving daughter, admiring the new fiver (to be called a Winston) adorned with her father's illustrious head.

I instantly recalled sitting next to her when I used to write about Paris fashions and her husband, Sir Christopher Soames was our Ambassador in France. She was delightful, helpful, we shared a cup of tea and she urged that if she or the office could help in any way, to contact them. I'm delighted she is still looking so good and enjoying the moment.

And so to those who are now resting in peace having played majestic parts in our national and global lives.

Denise Epstein sparked a literary sensation when she revealed a manuscript written by her Russian-Jewish mother, Irene Nemirovsky, a novelist who died in the Auschwitz horror camp.

It became a 2004 best seller.

But in long ago war-torn Europe, little Denise waved goodbye to her mother one day, never to see her again. Worse, not knowing their parents had died, she and her sister spent years waiting for them at stations. Denise eventually became a respected archivist and a most amazing lady.

While Commander Vic Strett made history and saved lives in the very first night-time helicopter search and rescue operation.

And with a life-long passion for art, former MP and barrister Ernle Money secured Titian's famous Death of Actaeon for the nation, apparently some coup.

Sorry it's a bit late, but I so wish I'd known you all when you were alive!