She was a capable judo exponent with a black belt, but Singapore's first female cabby,Madam Wong Ah Mooi, was a softie at heart.

Robbed at knifepoint, she had surrendered her day's takings calmly, but not without counselling the robber that an honest living was the way to go, eldest daughter Cheong Cheng Yee said.

"She never used her judo on people. She was always very brave, but also very caring and gentle," she added.

That is partly how she remembers her mother, who died last Tuesday of heart failure. Madam Wong, a grandmother of six, was 72.

If she had had her way, Madam Wong would still have been driving her cab - she was forced to retire in 2000 because she had to undergo a heart bypass.

The then 21-year-old first made the news in the Singapore Tiger Standard when she became the first woman to be granted a taxi licence back in 1958. She went on to be featured in countless publications like Her World magazine, The Straits Times and Shin Min Daily News.

She was only 16 when she left her hometown of Ipoh to look for work in Singapore.

Prior to driving a cab, she had worked as a farmer, petrol kiosk attendant, dress-maker, condensed milk seller and driving instructor.

Ms Cheong, a HR practitioner in her 30s, said: "She had a wonderful passion for driving. Even when one side of her body was paralysed after a stroke in 1995, she wanted to resume work immediately. None of us could stop her when she wanted something."

After her recovery, Madam Wong continued driving until her retirement in 2000.

Fondly remembered by her three children as the tireless woman about the house, she slept only three or four hours every night, following a shift that ended as late as 3am.

She would be up again at 6am to see to the family's three meals and daily chores before leaving for work at 4pm.

Her earnings were sufficient to supplement her accounts-clerk husband's salary and their earnings saw all of her children through university and electric organ classes. Madam Wong's husband died in 1999.

Madam Wong's youngest daughter Cheong May Yee, who is in her 30s and works as a private tutor, said: "She never received formal education, but she knew it was empowering.

"When we were just in primary school, she sewed a mortar board to remind us that our goal was to get into university."

She would bring it out time and again, especially during the children's critical A-level exams.

Today, Madam Wong's children - she also had a son in his 40s who works in a bank - are doing well in their careers.

As for her former company, Comfort-DelGro, a spokesman said: "Madam Wong was a pioneer in her time... She was also a shining example to many of her peers, having been commended numerous times for her good service and positive disposition. She will be missed by all."

For more my paper stories click here.