Obituaries

Donna and family, Wendy and family. I'm so very sorry for the sadness you feel with the passing of your mom and grandma. Your tribute is so beautifully written with a perfect description of the woman I knew as Aunty Deena. She leaves me with many memories, most of which are from our annual family gatherings on Christmas Eve. With your mom and my dad being so close, and my dad loving to tell stories, he often relayed stories of times they spent together. One of my favourite stories depicts her stubborn fearless nature and the dedication she had to her family. We still lived in the same area at the time. Todd was about 12 and had his bike taken from the local 7-11. My dad had given aunty Deena a description of the bike and when he asked her to watch for it, she took that request seriously. On a trip to 7-11 aunty Deena happened to find his bike laying out front of the store. She picked it up and called dad from the pay phone. As she was calling, a teenage boy came out of the store and confronted her claiming she had HIS bike. Not backing down she told the boy he had stolen the bike and it belonged to her nephew. He had no idea of just who he was dealing with. She had a tight grip on the handle bars and was not about to let go. While she waited for dad to arrive she was verbally assaulted, spit on and had rocks thrown at her, but she was not about to let go of that bike. I don't know of any other senior of approx 70 yrs old that would take on a young teenage boy to that level. I'm so glad I visited her on some of her better days at the Grace and at Golden Links. Such a great lady who has definitely left her mark. She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her. RIP Aunty Deena

Meeting Deena, working and sharing an office with her was one of the highlights of my career at the Red Cross. We maintained our friendship throughout our retirement years and celebrated her April Fool's Birthday each year. Deena was definitely strong willed but always kind and compassionate. She was a person who loved her family and often spoke of her siblings, her daughters and her grandchildren. I will cherish our final visit at Golden Links when we reminised about all the wonderful times we had shared through our 35 years of friendship. My sincere sympathy to Wendi and Brian and Donna and Stan and their children, but always know that Deena will remain close by with her sense of humour and love for you all.

Sorry for your loss Wendy and Donna. Your Mom was my neighbor, co-worker and friend for many years. She was always available to chat and visit.....where we enjoyed tea and a snack. I will always miss her..............R.I.P. Deena.