She was a publishing icon. An editor whose magazine became the top selling women’s publication per head of population in the world.

 She was also an astute businesswoman. She became the first woman in the country to sit on the board of a listed company– NZ News. And the first woman in its 124-year history to be elected to the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

 Above all she was someone who became a valued friend — I use that word advisably — to thousands upon thousands of New Zealand magazine readers during much of the latter part of last century.

I’m talking about Miss Jean Wishart, New Zealand Woman’s Weekly editor from 1952 to 1985.