Ms Chittock, who had a genetic disorder and died in Karitane on New Year’s Day aged 41, made the unconventional decision to write her own death notice.
In the notice, she said she had been told a long time ago "this would happen one day", but she "didn’t want to hear it".
"It pains me to say it but apparently I have passed away!
"If you have any questions, it’s too late!
"Just know I am at peace and out of pain."
Her mother, Sheryl Chittock, said she was an amazing daughter who "said it as it was".
"She couldn’t be bothered with feeling sorry for herself ... or anybody else feeling sorry for her.
"She wanted to live life as much as she could, or possibly could, and she went out with a bang."
Ms Chittock’s genetic disorder meant she was "sick from day one"..
It was after a five-day induced coma about two years ago she decided she needed to be prepared, and started working on her plan and the death notice with her family.
"She knew it was going to be hard enough on her parents, without too much to arrange, so she had just made sure that everything was done."
It was her farewell and she wanted to do it her way, she said.
"And she did."
Ms Chittock, who was born in Invercargill and lived in Dunedin for 25 years, had degrees in human science and early childhood education, and had studied primary school teaching.
She could not work fulltime but had driven a mini bus for her father’s bus company.
Her father, Mike Chittock, said she was a "brave, loving daughter" with a great sense of humour, and the death notice she wrote was "exactly how she was".
A secondary notice written by Ms Chittock’s parents said she stayed strong and true to her beliefs right to the end "with her bucket list complete, a shandy or two and one last Christmas with all the family".
