Mum passed away peacefully in the early morning of November 18 at Lady Minto Hospital on Salt Spring Island, with family by her side.
She is survived by her daughter Sue and David (Hicks) of Winnipeg, daughter Sally (Leigh-Spencer) and Brian (Thacker) of Duncan and granddaughter Caeley, and her son Peter and Marjorie and grandchildren, Lindsay and Colin, of Edmonton.
She was predeceased by her husband Frank in 2000.
Mum was born in London, England. She served in the British Army during the war as a military driver, during which time she met Dad who had been posted to London with the RCN Fleet Air Arm. Following the war, she joined Dad in Canada. They were married in Winnipeg in 1946.
After several years in Vancouver and St. John they returned to Winnipeg where they lived for 17 years before moving to Edmonton. Following Dad’s retirement, they moved to Nanaimo and later Salt Spring, a very special place in the history of the Leigh-Spencer family. Mum has lived on Salt Spring for the past thirty years, 11 of those independently in their home until three months ago when she moved to Heritage Place in Ganges.
Mum was a very special lady. She devoted her life to her family and to volunteerism. She approached everything she undertook with energy and determination. She was fiercely independent and instilled this trait in us at a very early age.
Her natural leadership skills took her from leader of a small company of Girl Guides to appointment as a District Commissioner in Winnipeg. She was an avid and talented gardener and took particular pleasure in successfully nurturing an incredible variety of roses wherever she lived. She was renowned for her knitting, and was an extremely talented seamstress, both evidenced by the many outfits she produced for family and friends. She was a skilled weaver and had an incredible ability to transform a room with her creative upholstering ability.
Meme was extremely proud of her grandchildren and took great pleasure in watching them grow into young adults. She treasured her very special relationship with Caeley and her visits from Lindsay and Colin, especially as she and Colin shared the same birthday.
Mum always prided herself in her appearance, taking great care to dress in the style of the day. She enjoyed her friendships from the golf course and particularly the great fun participating in the many skits they performed over the years.
She thrived by keeping busy, volunteering at the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation Thrift Store, teaching weaving at Greenwoods, serving lunch at Seniors for Seniors, baking for her family, going for regular dinner and theatre outings with her daughter Sally ,and enjoying visits from family and friends.
We are left with wonderful memories of traditional Christmases with family and friends and Mum’s terrific Christmas pudding, our many birthdays made special with a cake baked especially for us, summers at Victoria Beach, her spontaneous dancing when she heard a song she enjoyed, walks on the beach and clam-digging, and last but not least her incredible will to live.
We sincerely thank the staff and friends at Heritage Place for making Mum’s last few months so enjoyable, a special thanks to VIHA Home Care nurses Maureen and Karen and the wonderfully caring Lady Minto staff for their dedication and commitment. A special thanks to her neighbours Janna and Marvin and her friends Cathy and Mickey for their continuing friendship and support.
At Mum’s request there will be no formal memorial service, however we wish to invite her friends and acquaintances for tea to share memories of Ann in the Leigh-Spencer room at St Mark’s at Central, at 1 pm on December 11th, 2011, following the regular Sunday service.
There will be a family gathering in the spring on Salt Spring Island when the first roses are blooming.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the furnishing of the Leigh-Spencer room at St Mark’s Anglican Church or to the Lady Minto Hospital Foundation would be greatly appreciated.
St Marks Anglican Church
Anglican Parish of Salt Spring Island
110 Park Drive
Salt Spring Island, BC, V8K 2R7
Lady Minto Hospital Foundation 135 Crofton Rd
Salt Spring Island, B.C V8K 1T1