Melbourne philanthropist Patricia Ilhan has been remembered as a proud mum, and a charity champion who lived by the mantra of “let’s get shit done” at a public memorial to celebrate her life.

About 400 people turned out at Leonda by the Yarra in Hawthorn on Tuesday to pay respects to Ilhan, who died in June, aged 62, after a brave battle with cancer.

When delivering her eulogy, family friend Brendan Fleiter shared words from a speech Ilhan had been preparing to give at an event before her health failed.

“I have always believed life was less about waiting for the storm to pass and more about learning how to dance in the rain, not perfectly, not without fear, but with perspective,” Ilhan wrote.

“I am by nature a glass half full, not because life has been easy but because choosing that mindset has carried me through when it wasn’t.”

Fittingly, rain started to softly fall as guests left the event, carrying Ilhan’s words with them.

“She left the world she came into a better place,” Fleiter said.

“She lived a life that would take most of us a century, she packed it into 62 years.”

Ilhan, who established the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation in 2003 with her first husband John Ilhan, of the Crazy John mobile phone empire, was remembered as a dedicated and determined campaigner for causes close to her heart including men’s health awareness, breast cancer research and food allergy research.

Chief executive of the Gurner Group Ahmed Fahour, Brooke Warne, Guy Grossi, luxury car dealer Srecko Lorbek, and real estate identities Greg Hocking and Jonathan Dixon were among those paying tribute to the respected businesswoman, along with her children Hannah, Jaida and Aydin, her stepdaughter Makenzi, and her second husband, Chris Blackman. Another of her daughters, Yasmin was in London and unable to attend.

Longtime friend Catriona Rowntree, who was master of ceremonies, promised the memorial would, at Patricia’s insistence, be “a true celebration” with guests asked to wear “a pop of colour”.

Fiona Dicker, who worked with Ilhan on the breast cancer charity organisation said Ilhan was unforgettable.

“Her favourite saying was, ‘let’s get shit done’,” Dicker said.

“She inspired us with her determination, her generosity and her unwavering belief that ordinary people working together with a shared purpose could create a ripple effect that lasts forever. She truly made lemonade out of lemons.”

Tim Wilson, federal member for Goldstein, described Ilhan as “persistent, poised and elegant [and] that is how she is going to be remembered” in a video message.

Ilhan inherited the Crazy John mobile phone business in 2007 following John Ilhan’s sudden death aged just 42. She went on to sell a 75 per cent stake in the mobile phone company to Vodafone in 2008 for $150 million and invested wisely in property. In 2018, according to The Australian Financial Review, she had an estimated fortune of $407 million.

In 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer which she fought and beat, but in late December last year she discovered her cancer had returned.

A joyous Ilhan was shown to the crowd in a home video, where she laughed delightedly during a family event where a bespoke version of her favourite song I Am Woman with lyrics reworked in her honour was performed.

The final touch was left to her husband, Chris, who requested that the Tina Turner song Simply The Best be played. The title said it all.