It is with sadness Mrs. Thelma Halliday-Gibbons of Kitchener passed away peacefully at the great age of 101 on February 12th, 2022 at the Heritage House Nursing Home, St. Jacobs. Thelma was born in Dundas on August 17, 1920. She was sister to Lorney (Eva), Joe (Jessy), Howard (Ruth), Bill (Joan) and Hazel (Stan). Thelma married Chuck Halliday. They had four children Jerry (Ruthann), Bonnie (Picard), Jane (Tom Binkley) and Greg (Marianne). Chuck passed away in his 40’s. Thelma had many cousins, nieces and nephews, grandchildren great and great-great grandchildren. Thelma was a Homemaker and a Seamstress. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, building fond memories. She was a devout Catholic, attended Mass every Sunday. When her children had grown she went back to school and became a Bookkeeper and received her driver’s license. Later Thelma married Clark (Jack Gibbons). They spent time traveling and enjoyed their retirement years together. Thelma was very active and generous her entire life. She will be missed by many. A small service will be held in the Spring.
Slack, Lillian Lauretta – It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lauretta in her 83rd year. Predeceased by her husband Roy (1992). Amazing mother to Brent (Debbie), Michael (Sandy), Sheri-Lynn Perry (Lance) and Terry. Beloved sister of Irene Mordeca (late Albert). She will be very deeply missed by her grandchildren; Ashley (Gord), Alycia (Josh), Kyleigh (Zach), Tyce (Alisha) and Blake and by her great grandchildren Chance, Isaac and Scarlett. Friends will be received by the family on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 from 12 until the Service for Lauretta at 2 o’clock at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas. Interment White Chapel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Kidney Foundation or Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family. Special thanks to St. Joseph’s Healthcare Dialysis Clinic’s Dr. Robert Yang and Sue Eacott and the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital for their excellent care of our Mom.
Jay passed away peacefully at home with family February 21, 2022 at the age of 101.
Born in Campbellford, Ontario to James Charles Anderson and Lela Claire Stuart, he attended elementary and secondary schools there and graduated in Medicine from the University of Toronto in 1943.
He served in World War II as a regimental medical officer in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Core attached to the 86th Bridge Company in Canada and in Northwest Europe. Upon discharge in 1946, it was found that he had been infected with pulmonary tuberculosis necessitating six months in various sanitaria followed by six months limited activity. During the latter, his fiancée Geertruida (Truus) Emsbroek arrived in Canada from the Netherlands, and they were married in Campbellford in April 1947.
In 1948 he opened an office for general practice in his home town. However, after four years of solo practice his tuberculosis became active again and he was admitted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto for treatment and recovery. Seeking a branch of medicine in which he could have regular hours, he returned to U of T for a year to get his Diploma in Public Health.
His first assignment was with the Simcoe County Health Unit working out of Orillia for 8 years after which he became Medical Officer of Health at the Peterborough Health Department for 4 years. In 1966 he shifted direction to become the editor of the Canadian Medical Association Journal in Toronto and then in Ottawa until 1975.
In 1996, Truus died. In 1997, Jay married Pearl Snyder and moved to Calgary. After Pearl’s death in 2017, he moved back to Toronto to be near family. Jay re-connected with a significant long-time friend which resulted in his move to London to be with Dr. Katherine Turner. They spent 4 very happy years together which was especially important during a time of COVID isolation.
Jay lived a remarkable life bookended by two global pandemics. He was guided by his faith; his belief in the basic goodness of people; his dedication to living a healthy life in mind, body and spirit; and, most memorably, he was guided by the importance of finding meaning and humour in his day to day life. Jay was a gentleman of the “old school” and was an exemplary product of an educational system that stressed memorization. He could draw with ease and perfect timing upon quotations from the Bible, from a wide range of poetry, from Kahlil Gibran, from Robbie Burns and from the person he had just met in the elevator to bring humour, insight and comfort to any situation. Jay loved music from the ‘30’s and ‘40’s – especially the big band or Swing era brought to life every Saturday on the TV by Lawrence Welk. Humorous and meaningful conversation is perhaps what he valued most. People mattered to Jay and their personal stories were always valued. In this way, he was a great humanist.
Jay is survived by his sons David (Lesley), James (Martha deceased), Ian (Kate) and daughter, Audrey (Richard) and six grandchildren: Mieke (Zac), Megan (Paul), Aaron (Meg), Casey, Mariah and Juliette and three great grandchildren: Logan, Lucas and Liam. He is also survived by his niece, Mary K Anderson, great-nephew Asud (Caitlin) and great-great nieces Norah and Evelyn, nephew Jack Anderson (Shirley) and cousin Glenn Thompson (Gloria). He is lovingly remembered by Medalit Quispe, Ann Irwin and his Dutch nieces and nephews Frits Emsbroek (Ietje), Lex Emsbroek (Christiane), Fieneke, Inge (Charles), and Berend Jan Garssen (Wies). In addition to his parents, Jay was predeceased by his brothers Dr. Ernest Anderson (Ruth) and Stuart Anderson (Helen); his nieces and nephews Laura Lee, Bill Anderson, Bob Anderson, Margot Emsbroek, Herman Emsbroek, Piet-Hein Emsbroek; and his Dutch in-laws Bart and Enny Emsbroek, Gerda and Jan Garssen, Henk and Gu Emsbroek.
Jay will be remembered by his many friends at Knox Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, Centre Street Church in Calgary and by his adopted Snyder and Turner extended families. Jay wanted to be – and will be – remembered as a loving person who was fun to be with and made others feel special.
In Jay’s memory, please extend an act of kindness to those around you.
Suddenly at St. Joseph’s Hospital on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in her 90th year. Beloved wife of the late Robert Bird, and loving mother to; Leslee Couldrey, Steven Couldrey (Pat), Lisa Francis (Errol), Cyndi Macintyre (Ken) and Laura Stender (Jeff). Eileen will be sadly missed by her 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, and her special friend Victor Pala. As per Eileen’s wishes, there will be no service or visitation. Cremation has taken place.
Died Wednesday, February 23, 2022 peacefully in her room at Highgate Residence in Ancaster, Ontario with her daughter by her side. Shirley was born in Hamilton, Ontario on August 9, 1925 to parents James Charles Fraser and Ruth Watson. Predeceased by her husband of 63 years Richard James (Jim) Raycroft, her younger sister and brother in law, Jean and David McLay, and her son-in-law Mark Nelson. She is survived by her son Ian (Francine), daughter Kathryn Nelson and grandson Nicholas (Trina Watters). Before having her children, Shirley worked at the Bank of Commerce at King and Bay in Toronto, and later served as a volunteer clinical secretary at the Donwood Institute in Leaside. She will be remembered for her keen wit, love of gardening and sewing, her sharp sense of humour and culinary skills. She enjoyed travelling with the friends made through Jim’s years at Honeywell, particularly their many trips to Bermuda. Her red hair and freckles drove her to prefer winter sports although she was an avid golfer, tennis and badminton player in her younger years. We are grateful to the staff at Highgate for the compassionate care provided in both the Memory and Care wings. Friends will be received by the family on Friday, March 4, 2022 from 12 until the Service for Shirley at 1 o’clock at the Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas. Cremation has taken place.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Patricia Koleff (nee Kay) at the age of 72 at Columbia Forest Long Term Care, Waterloo after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Pat was the beloved wife of Peter who predeceased her in 2020.
Cherished sister of Beverley Richards (Ted) and Richard Kay (Shirley), lovingly remembered by her nieces Jennifer, Lynn, Lisa, Sandra, Samantha and nephew Corey (Bobbi Jo) Engler of Wellesley and her cousin Wayne Kay of Dundas. Predeceased by her loving parents Walter and Edna Kay and her Uncle Ken and Aunt Jean Kay.
Pat worked at the Home Hardware head office in St. Jacobs for over 40 years. Many thanks to friends from Home Hardware who continued to visit her after she entered long term care.
The family would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the caring staff at Columbia Forest Long Term Care in Waterloo, especially Wendy who cared for Pat for all the years Pat was at Columbia Forest.
