Sports star, Cowes Carnival queen and mum of two dies at 26

After a rapid decline due to terminal cancer, Zoe died in the Mountbatten hospice on May 29.

Zoe was the youngest of the three children born to Eileen Panayi and the youngest of five to Charlie Panayi.

The family moved to the East End of London when Zoe was two but returned to live in Cowes, with Zoe going to school at Love Lane Primary, Somerton Middle, Solent Middle, Cowes High and HTP Apprenticeship College in Newport.

Zoe Panayi

Zoe was very proud to represent Cowes as their Carnival Queen in 2007 on the Water Babes float.

She was very good at football and karate but excelled especially in netball, being selected for the South Region Squad.

Zoe also enjoyed and won many medals in Irish dancing.

She loved horse riding and caring for all animals with her wish on leaving school to work with animals, old people, or children.

Zoe was very proud to represent Cowes as their Carnival Queen in 2007 on the Water Babes float.

When Zoe left education, she trained to become a carer in the community before going on to work at Kynance Residential Home, Cornelia Manor Residential Care Home and several other homes.

Zoe met her partner, Jamie, in 2009. Jamie and Zoe separated in 2019, but remained the best of friends throughout.

Zoe then found happiness again when she met Luke, who remained her partner right until the end of her short life.

Zoe worked as an auxiliary nurse at St Mary's Hospital while bringing up her young children, before finally getting her ideal job as an assistant to the radiography and CT department.

She is survived by her children, Theo-Jay, seven, and Tobias, five, mother Eileen, father Charlie, brothers and sisters Charlie, Marie, Terry and Chris and stepfather Stuart Punter.

The funeral is taking place today (Friday) at the IW Crematorium.