With great sadness we say good bye to our beloved aunt Grace Theresa Crosby, who left us on February 11, 2019. Born in Halifax, she was a daughter of A. T. E. (Tom) and Veronica (Cragg) Crosby. She was predeceased by her parents as well as her six brothers and sisters Dr. A. B. (Brown) Crosby (Madeleine), Beatrice (Dave) Renner, Madeleine (Walter) Murphy, Bernadette, Patrick (Ann) Crosby and Howard (Janet) Crosby.
Grace was a devout Catholic, a member of Blessed Mother Theresa Parish, and a graduate of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. She was employed with the offices of Dominion Stores, and then with Statistics Canada until her retirement. Grace’s true talents, however, were in her many skills. She was an accomplished seamstress, painter, furniture refinisher, decorator, quilter, baker, chef, gardener, jam and pickle maker, and sandwich maker.
Many a summer weekend started with “Grace called…”, and her sisters, nieces and nephews would go off on a day-trip, usually something educational, like the Ross Farm, followed by a picnic, and maybe a stop at a farmer’s market. When her brother Brown bought a farm in Hants County, she put in a large garden and recruited her niece and nephews to spend many summer Saturdays weeding, culling, and harvesting the crops. It takes a special person to make those fun times.
Grace was the aunt to call if ever you needed to know how to do something – like cook a turkey, or polish silver, or set a table, or make lobster casserole, or make that “energy drink”: the apple cider vinegar, honey and hot water combo that is making the rounds on the Internet now – we heard it from her first. For updates of news, weather, local or world politics, and recommendations for worthwhile viewing from PBS, Grace always had the answers. She was interested in everyone and everything and up until the last hour of her life she was asking her grand niece and nephew about their weekend basketball games.
Grace loved travel. With her sister Betty, she took trips to Europe, Ireland and the UK and as far as Russia when it was still the Soviet Union. She loved her home province though, and explored most of Nova Scotia, from Brier Island to the Cape Breton Highlands. If ever you needed reviews on B and Bs or where to find lobster sandwiches in those parts, she was the guide.
In later years, she was the full time care giver for her sister Betty. Through Betty’s lengthy illness, Grace made sure Betty was looked after in comfort and at home. Grace faced her own illness with bravery and optimism. When asked about what drove her own will to survive the invasive surgery, she answered in classic Grace fashion, “ I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone.”
Grace is survived by her many nieces and nephews: Kevin Crosby and Lorraine Rawlins, Falmouth; Peter and Linda Crosby, Westneath, ON; Ted and Barb Crosby, Ottawa; Catherine and Bob North, London, ON; Brian and Claire Crosby, Ottawa; Jean and Brian Conlin, North Carolina; Dan Crosby, Mississauga, Christine Miller Crosby and John Spenard, Gatineau QC; Elizabeth Crosby, Vancouver; Michael and Alicja Crosby, New Jersey, Stephen Renner, Halifax, Bernadette Greer, Eastern Passage; Michael Murphy, Halifax; Mary Murphy and Jack Wilson, Toronto, and John and Andrea Murphy, Halifax. She is also survived by her sisters in law, Ann Crosby, Ottawa and Janet Robblee-Crosby, Halifax. She will be especially missed by her grand nieces and nephew Maddie, Rian and James Murphy, for whom she was a regular supplier of chocolate chip cookies and M and M blondies.
A special note of gratitude to the wonderful nurses at the QE2 8.1 and 7th Floor IMCU unit. Thank you so much for providing Grace with great comfort and care over the last two months
Visitation will take place at Snow’s Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax, Wednesday, February 20th, from 6 to 8 p.m. A mass of Christian burial will take place at Saint Mother Theresa of Kolkata Parish at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 21st.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Chalice, a local charity that was very important to Grace and she sponsored many children through it. Chalice, 26 Union St., Bedford, NS B4A 2B5, www.chalica.ca
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