JEAN BELL COUTTS (TOD)

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JEAN BELL COUTTS (nee TOD) Peacefully on Tuesday, December 28, 1999, Jean Coutts passed away at the Beacon Hill Lodge, at the age of 95 years. Jean was born September 25, 1904 in St. Vital, daughter of the late Alexander and Edith Tod and granddaughter of Captain Peter and Christina Bell Tod who were the first English speaking settlers in St. Vital. She grew up on the family market garden (now Tod Dr.). Jean was active in church and community activities. She attended Sunday school held in the homes of early pioneers. Her maternal grandmother was active in the founding of what is now St. Vital United Church and donated the land for the first church. Jean taught Sunday school and was captain of the 14th Girl Guides. She was active in sports including tennis, baseball and badminton. She received her early education at Woodlawn School (the first English speaking school in St. Vital) and later graduated from Tache School in Norwood. She worked at Eatons for 20 years and later as an employment counsellorwith the National Employment Service. Jean had a love of music and sang in the church choir from an early age. She sang alto with the Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Choir of Winnipeg, and The Singing Seniors. In 1956, she married her longtime friend William Kerr Coutts. They had met at the Oxford Group in the 1930s but he was too shy to ask her to marry him. They had 25 wonderful years together until his death in 1981. They especially enjoyed their Morningside Cottage at West Hawk Lake. Jean was from a family of 12 children but only her sister Eleanor MacInnes of White Rock, BC survives her. Her other siblings were Fred, Marion Bowen, Jim, Walter, Edith Smith, Elsie MacKay, Rod, Jock, Ernest and Douglas. The last two were identical twins and were killed in action with the R.C.A.F. in June, 1943. Jean was 16 years old when they were born, was very involved in their upbringing and felt their loss deeply. She had no children of her own but was a devoted aunt and spread her affection among her many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, January 4 at 1:30 p.m. All are welcome to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeans memory may be made to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 709 St. Marys Rd. R2M 3M8. The Eternal God is my dwelling place, and underneath are His everlasting arms. Deut. 33;27 NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 31, 1999