Tribute

It is with overwhelming sadness & aching hearts that we said goodbye to our Mama, as her struggle with cancer & dementia came to rest.  Mom battled these diseases with staggering courage; the ability to remain steadfast quite profound given the advancement of her condition.  Predeceased by our Dad, Stanley, in 2010, they shared 51 years together; the past 3 yrs she never stopped looking around every corner for him!  Survived by her children Diana, Allen (Michele), Andrew (Kathryn), Teresa, (“favorite son-in-law” Grant), 6 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren & a community of folks, far & near, that adored her.

Mom was born in Victoria, predeceased by parents Howard & Margaret Winterburn & her younger sister, Sylvia.  She married in 1959 & relocated to Youbou where she & Dad raised a family & would spend the next 45 years.  In 2004, Mom & Dad then settled in Lake Cowichan; the perfect location for them to remain as independent as possible.    Mom was genuinely happiest with the simple pleasures in life, never placing emphasis on material things.  She loved her connection to the Seniors Centre; playing bingo & listening to the band play on “pie day”, brought her so much pleasure.  She graciously welcomed family & friends to her home with open arms; you quickly learned never to arrive full & you most certainly never left hungry! 

Our sincere thanks are extended to the countless friends who provided support to Mom & our family over the years; the dignified care of Drs. Allan, Ingram, Froese & Postowski – thank you for treating our Mom with such TLC.  As Mom's heartbreaking journey of dementia proceeded, we came to depend on Home Support & Home & Community Care (Margaret, you are a gem); your dedication to Mom's comfort & dignity so remarkable. The teams at Brookside Medical, Village Pharmacy, Dr. Kerswell, Dr. Pewarchuck & the multi-disciplinary teams at CDH; you were all so amazingly supportive!  When the palliative process began, we could never have survived the journey without the genuine kindness & support that again filtered from Home & Community Care & the “Family in the ER”; we are humbled by your degree of excellence & compassion! Tere, Dr. Toth, Dr. Conrad & “Team Stephenson-True”; there are no words to fully embrace the profound way in which you helped our family get through this experience!  To our Sweet Luisa!  Our “God-Sent” angel who cared for & loved our Mama for the past  2 yrs with such grace, gentleness & the intensity of dedication that only comes from the soul of a beautiful person.  You gave us more time with our Mom & we will be eternally grateful for that!

Irregardless of disparity & challenge, Mom embraced fortitude beyond comprehension & maintained that until her last breath.  She lived her life with little expectation, loving unconditionally. She touched many with her quiet perceptiveness, often relying on intuition & presence alone. She taught us some remarkable lessons in life, among them the power of a hug; never leave home without one!  There will be a large void in our world without you Mama & each day we will strive to allow all the good that has come from you to shine through in our daily lives!  God Bless.