Vera Reeves

An exemplar of grace and love to all who knew her, Vera Reeves was the second of five daughters of the late Francis Oliver and Mary Emily Howes. She was born in Birmingham, U.K. on July 17, 1920 and died in Halifax on June 3, 2016. She was predeceased in 2011 by her husband of 65 years, Raymond, and last year by her son John.

She is survived by daughter Kathryn (Ross Haynes), Fergusons Cove; daughter-in-law Claire, Antigonish; grandsons Nicholas Harley (Nicola Gherson), Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Rannoch Harley (Tsege Gebreyohannes), Dartmouth; great-grandson Rhys Gherson Harley; sister Joan Cubberley, Burks Falls, Ontario; and nieces and nephews.

Though she was born in England, Vera’s childhood in Wales was the great source of the fascinating stories she delighted in sharing with her children and grandchildren. During World War II, she worked in an aircraft engine factory, then settled into family life in the small English village of Hutton, Somerset. In her thirties she embraced the adventure of moving first to Canada and then to the United States as a result of her engineer husband’s work. In Boston, Vera enjoyed a long career with Aetna Insurance. On their retirement, Vera and Raymond moved to Antigonish and spent 28 happy years in the house they built next door to John and Claire’s farm.

Vera was always forward looking, deeply interested in those around her and a wise guide to them. She was also tremendously funny and fun.

For their care and compassion, the family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Melville Heights where Vera lived for the last five years, Nova Scotia Continuing Care, Closing the Gap Homecare, family physician Dr. Amal Saha and Drs. Mallery and Shetty of QEII’s PATH Clinic, and the outstanding staff of the Palliative Care Unit at the VG Site, QEII. The family will be holding a private memorial.