Audrey McGuinness

The family announces with great sorrow the passing of Audrey Frederick McGuinness on, July 9th 2023 at the age of 89 years. Cherished sister of Frances Smith (Tony), and Janet Lines (David), and loving aunt to many nieces and nephews and many grand-nieces and nephews. Pre-deceased by her brother Norman McGuinness. She will be greatly missed by her many friends with whom she also shared many adventures and hobbies.

Audrey McGuinness was born in Montreal (Valois) in 1934. Her first major challenge was in overcoming polio at the age of 8, when she was hospitalized for 18 months. Later in life she connected with others living with post-polio syndrome through the Polio Quebec Association (/https://polioquebec.org/), where she also served as a volunteer. After graduating from high school, she embarked on a kind of world tour, travelling and working in Australia, New Zealand, England, and Bermuda. Upon returning to Canada, she held various administrative positions in Montreal. She retired from the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada (Paprican) at McGill University at 65. She had a fruitful and enjoyable retirement, where she pursued many interests and travelled widely again to Hong Kong, China, New Zealand, and elsewhere. Audrey was an accomplished sewist, and took courses in the 1970s from the one and only Madame de Bello, who later appeared on television. Audrey branched out from sewing her own clothes to quilting. Her eye for colour and pattern were notable, winning the top prize most recently from her quilting group at the age of 84. She welcomed many grand nieces and nephews with a baby quilt. Audrey took up water colour painting in retirement and hosted extra art lessons for her fellow St. Patrick's art group members.

Audrey also volunteered with the New Hope Senior Citizens' Centre (https://newhopendg.com/). She shared her hobbies and started quilting, bridge, and art groups at the centre. She was a volunteer driver for the group, and would cheerfully ferry seniors to and from the centre. Audrey's initiative and organizational skills came into play again when she moved to the Vista retirement residence in NDG, where she started several bridge groups. Audrey said her personal philosophy was to make one new friend every year, and she continued to make friends at her own seniors residence.

Audrey's positive attitude was ever-present throughout her life, even as her loss of mobility and vision prevented her from pursuing her hobbies in later life. She persevered with vision aids and courses provided by the Montreal Association for the Blind, and was able to read her favourite detective story authors on her iPad. Her advice on how to deal with getting old was to "be happy" - believing that it is a decision to be happy instead of otherwise. We miss her dearly. Rest easy Audrey.

Friends and family are gathering for a ceremony to honour Audrey's life on Sept. 9. For those wishing, In Memoriam donations may be made to New Hope Senior Citizens' Centre (https://newhopendg.com).