THE family of a much-loved Newport dentist, who died suddenly aged just 42, paid tribute yesterday to a “beautiful” and “caring”

wife and mother.

Wendy Fowler, of the Gaer, collapsed and died at her home unexpectedly on July 16 – four days before the family were due to fly to America for a holiday.

The cause of her death is not yet determined.

The mum of two had suffered heart problems most of her life, and was diagnosed with a heart murmur aged 15 and was later found to have a leaking heart valve.

Her husband, Martyn, 43, described her as the most caring woman he had ever met, and paid tribute to her compassionate nature and her love for the children she feared she would never have.

He said: “If I had ten million words, they wouldn’t be enough to describe her. She will be sorely missed by family, friends and everyone else. She has left a massive gaping hole.” The childhood sweethearts met at a disco when Mrs Fowler was aged 14. They stayed together while she studied for her dentistry degree at Cardiff Medical School and married in 1992.

Soon after Mrs Fowler opened her own practice in Caerleon Road, aged just 23, where she was later joined by her sister, Tracy, 34, a dental nurse.

After suffering with endometriosis, a condition which affects the womb, for many years Mrs Fowler was told she had only a 5 per cent chance of having a child, but she defied the odds to conceive her son, Ethan, now 13.

But the strain of the pregnancy put pressure on her heart and doctors found she had a leaking valve.

After she underwent open-heart surgery to address the problem, aged 32, doctors said she would not be able to have any more children. But she surprised them once more when she fell pregnant with her “miracle baby”, Tahlia, now eight, who suffers with a rare form of epilepsy.

Mrs Fowler was a governor of Gaer Infants and Juniors Schools, as well as St Joseph’s High School, and was a passionate supporter of charities, such as NSPCC, Save the Children and Cancer Research.

Six months ago doctors told her the valve in her heart was leaking again, but she never let her condition affect her life and continued to work in her practice.

Mr Fowler added: “It wasn’t just a job to her, it was a duty. She was passionate for delivering the best she could. I really don’t know what I will do without her, she was my world.”

Her mum, Eileen Williams, 62, said: “Newport is going to miss a wonderful person.”

A mass will take place in her memory at St David’s Church, Maesglas, at 11am on Sunday.