The final wishes of Paola Marra, the ex-wife of Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, have been revealed one year after her passing. Marra, 53, chose to end her life at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland on March 20, 2024, after battling terminal breast and bowel cancer.
Before her death, Marra’s estate was valued at £1.2 million, though expenses such as funeral costs and mortgages left a net worth of £941,004. According to documents obtained by MailOnline, Marra requested that her body and organs be donated to medical and scientific research.
She also wished to be cremated, with her ashes spread on Hampstead Heath, a place that held personal significance.
Marra’s fortune was mainly divided between her siblings. However, she left a significant gift to Rowntree, her former husband whom she had remained close with following their split in the early 2000s. In addition to a £50,000 cash sum, she left Rowntree all of her artworks and the contents of her Finchley home.
Marra’s will also specified donations to charity, including £4,000 each to Wigs for Heroes, A Space Between, Secondary Sisters, and Greyhound Gap, organizations that support cancer patients and animal rescue.
In the wake of her death, Rowntree expressed strong views on assisted dying laws. He criticized the current legal framework as “psychopathic” for not showing empathy towards those suffering.
Rowntree, who revealed that Marra was allergic to strong painkillers, emphasized the need for reform to help terminally ill patients.
He spoke out in The Guardian, questioning the role of the state in making difficult decisions and advocating for a more compassionate approach.
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