MOIRA PHYLLIS DIANE DRYBROUGH

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MOIRA PHYLLIS DIANE DRYBROUGH

(nee ELLISON)

It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Moira Phyllis Diane Drybrough on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

She is survived by her husband Donald, and her children, Catherine (Mark) Graham, Cynthia (David) Jamieson, Christina, and Donald (Brenda) Drybrough. She is also fondly remembered by her grandchildren, Shannon, Brett, Kyla (Graeme), Brad, Madelaine, Stuart, Azra, Andrew, and Claire and great-grandchildren, Ivor and Torin. She was predeceased by her brother Walter and her sister Wendy.

Moira was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to William Ellison, a school principal, and Lorna Ellison, a teacher. She graduated from Gordon Bell High School, then the University of Manitoba with a BA, and later earned an MBA from the University of Toronto. After graduation, she began what became a lifetime of adventures. Her first great adventure was sailing across the ocean to marry Donald in London, England on August 26, 1960, marking the beginning of an incredible 65 years together. Her second was the arrival of their four remarkable children and creating a home in Brampton. As her children grew older, Moira became a force in the community. Through the Canadian Federation of University Women ("CFUW"), she taught ESL classes and championed Status of Women programs, notably the Registry of Women suitable for corporate and public boards. She served on the executives of both the local CFUW and Probus, serving as President of both, and was an enthusiastic member of the Book Buddies and the Tuesday Walkers. Moira's relentless drive to help others led to an extensive record of community service. She served in various executive capacities for the local Canadian Cancer Society, the Peel Gallery, the Peel YMCA, the Children's Aid Society, and the Volunteer Librarian. Of special interest was improving patient care in hospitals. To this end, she served on the Board of Peel Memorial Hospital and was a founding Board member of the Chinguacousy Health Services Board, which matured into the William Osler Hospital, where she continued to press for improvements in patient welfare. In recognition of her extraordinary contributions, Moira was named Brampton's Citizen of the Year in 1990. Along the way, she took a keen interest in the stock market.

After the children finished high school, she channeled this passion into a highly successful career as a Financial Advisor. Beyond her career and community work, Moira lived life to the absolute fullest. An accomplished pianist, she relished the opera and all forms of live theatre. She also possessed an insatiable passion for travel. Fascinated by the world, she explored over 80 countries. From scooter, train, car, bus, and plane to cruises and canoe camping in and around Georgian Bay, she embraced every mode of transport to see the world. Her adventures took her from the Northwest Passage to Antarctica, to Easter Island and Timbuktu, and most points in between. Moira will be forever loved and remembered for her local commitment and global travel ambition.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 20, 2026