"Tania touched my life and I know she impacted many other with her kindness and her beautiful personality."
French said her deepest condolences went out to the Ellwood family.
Newmarket's retail community is still in shock, with friends paying tribute to a "beautiful soul".
Franky Burns said she used to work alongside Ellwood in retail in Newmarket but that she had not seen Ellwood in the past eight months.
Burns said her friend had "a heart of gold".
She was simply gorgeous, a truly "beautiful soul".
"She was an angel in my eyes."
Ellwood always brought enthusiasm to whatever she was doing, and always had "big smiles" and "big hugs" to give.
"It was an honour and a pleasure to have worked with her for the time I did," Burns said.
"There's another shinning star out there in heaven."
Earlier this week Auckland woman Sarah Tahere told the Herald she fondly remembered Ellwood from her school days at Epsom Girls Grammar School.
"Tania was very mature for her age, she was creative and extremely intelligent," Tahere said.
"Tania wasn't interested in popularity. She was genuinely herself, always, which was so refreshing in a school of 1500 girls."
Tahere, who went by the last name Kirkpatrick during her school years, said Ellwood was a good friend to her throughout the years she knew her.
"She will be sadly missed by her family and all those who were privileged to have known her."
Ellwood will be farewelled at All Saints Chapel at Purewa Crematorium in Meadowbank at midday on March 17, according to a death notice in the Weekend Herald.
The much-loved daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, partner and friend was "taken from us way too soon", the obituary said.
The New Zealand Police have previously said it was not able to comment on what happened to Ellwood and Hamilton until the end of the investigation.
The matter would then be referred to the Coroner.
