CAROLYN JUNE ROBERTSON (HAMMELL)

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CAROLYN JUNE ROBERTSON (nee HAMMELL) With deep sadness and extreme grief, the family of Carolyn June Robertson, announce her passing on Thursday, December 23, 2004 at the St. Boniface Palliative Care Unit. She died peacefully after a valiant fight with cancer. Carolyn is deeply missed by her husband of 42 years Garry; daughter Lisa Robertson and her husband Don La Rosa and their two sons, Brendan and Jordan; daughter Linda Sawchuk, her husband Jamie and their two daughters, Laura and Ashley of Victoria, BC; sister Wendy Hammell of Cobble Hill, BC. Carolyn was predeceased by her mother Ann Hammell in 1987; her father Joseph Thorneycroft when Carolyn was only five years old; her adoptive father George Hammell in 1997; and several aunts and uncles. Carolyn was born and lived in Winnipeg all her life except for a brief period in early childhood when her father and mother lived in Montreal during the Second World War and her father inspected newly constructed battleships. It was during the move home from Montreal to Winnipeg that her father tragically passed away on the train. Carolyn and her mother moved in with her grandparents, the Shibicky's, until her mother married George several years later. Carolyn spent her teen years in Cresentwood and graduated from Kelvin High School. In 1962, she married her life partner, Garry, and later gave birth to two wonderful daughters, Lisa, then Linda, who both gave her much joy. As the girls grew up, Carolyn desired more challenge in her life and decided to turn her love of travel into a career. In 1986, she graduated with a diploma in travel. She worked in the travel industry, most recently at the Thomas Cook office downtown at City Place, until earlier this year when she very reluctantly had to go on leave because of her illness. Carolyn's great loves were family, friends, the outdoors, being near water whether it be a lake, pool or an ocean, travel to many places all over the world, and sunshine. She never went north with the only exception being to return home. She savoured the time that she had with her grandchildren, all of them being the twinkle in her eyes. She loved to golf with her best friend Gay. She enjoyed belonging to Chapter T of the P.E.O. sisterhood and during her illness, her fellow members provided an incredible mix of love and soup to Carolyn and her husband. She wanted so much to stay with us and fought the cancer as hard as she could. We are grateful for the care of Dr. Arneja, Drs. Lotocki, Heywood and Krepart, her nurse Anne from CancerCare and recent support from the Palliative Care Program. Carolyn's passing has left a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. We hope that she has gone to a place where there is sunshine and water and she is well and surrounded by those she loved who went ahead of her. Family and friends are invited to a memorial service to remember and celebrate Carolyn's life on Thursday, December 30 at 2:30 p.m. at Immanuel United Church, 755 Golspie (at Kimberly) in East Kildonan. A private family interment of her ashes is planned for the following day. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Manitoba PEO Foundation, which provides educational and charitable assistance to women in need, 1030-1750 Pembina Hwy., Winnipeg, MB R3T 4J5, or to a charity of your choice. All the good things go with me, they make my spirit glow, and that light will shine forever in the next place that I go (Warren Hanson)

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 28, 2004