- Winnipeg Free Press Passages
- All Titles
Search:
Notices are posted by 10 am Monday through Saturday
GWENDOLYN JOHNSTON (HILL)
Date of Passing: Aug 25, 2013
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryGWENDOLYN JOHNSTON (nee HILL) Gwendolyn Johnston (nee Hill) passed away peacefully with family at her side at Belmont House in Toronto on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at age 96. Beloved wife of the late William (Bill) Johnston. Cherished mother of three daughters Beth Symes (Michael) of Toronto, Susan Cooper (Ian) of Toronto and Catharine Johnston (Michael Grant) of Vancouver and her grandchildren Amy Cooper (Pablo Oliver) of Calgary and David Cooper (Jen) of Lindsay, Kate Symes of Banff and Karen Symes of Toronto and her great-grandson Thomas Oliver of Calgary. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Gwen married Bill in 1940 and after the war and the birth of their first daughter Beth, they moved to Sioux Lookout, Ontario where Susan was born and where she was turned from city girl to country pioneer heating with wood and thawing ice blocks for drinking water and learning how to curl. They then moved to Fort Frances, Ontario where they had their third and final (thankfully according to Dad) daughter Catharine and there Gwen and Bill became lifelong bridge partners. They then returned to Winnipeg where they lived in East Kildonan and vacationed every chance they could at Jessica Lake until Dad's retirement. At that time they retired to paradise in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island where they built a house and mom was able to fully fulfill her passion for gardening. After Dad passed away, Gwen moved to Hollyburn House in West Vancouver and then four years ago moved to Belmont House in Toronto. A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Birmingham and the staff on 2 West at Belmont House and her private care givers for the kind and compassionate care they provided over the past few years. In Gwen's memory, donations may be made to either The Belmont House Foundation - foundation@belmont.com or The Canadian Alzheimer Society - www.alzheimer.ca.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 31, 2013
Condolences & Memories (1 entries)
-
I was your neighbour, living at 15 Glencoe Ave. and friends with Cathy for a few years. I have such fond memories of your family. I was invited to visit Jessica Lake for a weekend as a child as Cathy's guest. When I got there, I had the flu the whole weekend. What I remember is how your mother just took it in her stride to look after me - just another sick kid to attend to. She didn't ship me back to Winnipeg, just looked after me so well. Cathy taught me to play a few pieces on the piano at your house, and I liked it so much, I begged my parents for a piano and lessons. I almost went into a career in music but instead chose speech pathology and being a yoga teacher. My parents died in 2006, 2011. I cared for my dad here in Winnipeg for 5 years. Thinking of you and remembering happy memories on Glencoe Ave. - Posted by: Cathy Spack (Neighbour) on: Sep 01, 2013