Australian professor Marguerite Johnson and her partner Leni have died in a car accident on the Greek island of Lesvos.
Greek media reported the couple were involved in a fatal car accident on Lesvos last Wednesday.
The crash occurred on Panagiouda-Moria road, a few kilometres from the capital of Mytilene.
The car carrying the couple rolled over for unknown reasons before crashing into a power pole.
One woman died at the scene, and the other succumbed to injuries during transport to the hospital.
The investigation is ongoing as police probe the circumstances around the incident.
Professor Johnson was a classicist at the University of Queensland and earned her PhD at the University of Newcastle.
The 61-year-old specialised in ancient history and the poetry of early sixth-century BCE poet Sappho.
The professor also focused on the works of Catullus and Ovid.
The Australian Academy of the Humanities extended its condolences in an online notice.
“The Australian Academy of the Humanities acknowledges, with deep sadness, the death of Professor Marguerite Johnson FAHA,” the organisation wrote.
“A cultural historian of the ancient Mediterranean, she specialised in sexuality and gender, particularly in the poetry of Sappho, Catullus, and Ovid, as well as magical traditions in Greece, Rome, and the Near East.
“Marguerite also researched Classical Reception Studies, with a regular focus on Australia.”
A GoFundMe page was set up to ease the financial burden on the couple’s children, covering funeral costs, urgent travel costs, and legal fees.
“Leni and Marg had worked their whole lives to build the retirement they had always dreamed of,” friends of the couple wrote.
“They moved to Greece with their three beloved chihuahuas to live their fairytale, embracing the sunshine, the slower pace of life, and a community they quickly came to love.
“They were truly living the dream they had worked so hard for.”
Of the $30,000 goal, almost $27k has been raised as of early Thursday afternoon.