Carole Ann Purdy Needham

      Carole Ann Needham was a modest woman, quiet and observant in her ways. She was trustworthy and traditional in her approach to her life and in her relationships. She was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew her. She was also a woman who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything she undertook. Realistic about life, she was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

      Carole was born on June 23, 1943 at Grace Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Her parents were Grant and Sheila Purdy. Carole was raised in Bobcaygeon, Ontario, brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve her well throughout her life.

      Growing up in the Purdy household there were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Carole was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared. Carole was raised with one sibling, her younger sister, Sharon, and she was consistently loyal to her family.

      As a young child, Carole developed a variety of interests, and the things she enjoyed doing she did well. She was always curious about the world around her and was often eager to explore it. Carole was a Girl Guide, and when she was young she took part in figure skating, acrobatics, snow and water skiing. In her spare time she enjoyed sewing, knitting and crocheting. However, what Carole enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with her many friends.

      Carole managed to have a pretty good time in high school as she made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood, graduating from Fenelon Falls High School in 1961. She enjoyed some courses more than others, and like most teenagers she had favorite classes and teachers, most notably English Literature and Mr. Bain, Mr. Bell, Mr. Skitch, Mr. McCardle and Mr. Cam Kerr. She was a member of the high school choir and Glee club. Carole was a very logical person who enjoyed learning factual information. Using her exceptional memory, she was able to learn much through observation. Carole always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though she could easily master any problem that might be presented to her.

      College life brought with it a new set of challenges, but Carole handled them well. Being a critical thinker who always remained intellectually independent, Carole was able to focus on the task at hand in order to complete her class work. She was able to read the material and retain the information in a way that impressed her fellow classmates. The ability to efficiently complete the task at hand was a skill that served Carole well during her college experience. She earned her Nursing Diploma at Hamilton Civic Hospital in 1964, returning to university several years later to receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1995.

      Always considered a solid friend, Carole was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during her life. Since she disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw her own conclusions based on direct observation, Carole was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew her. She was committed to her friends and valued the trust she placed in them. It was not uncommon for Carole to go beyond the call of duty for others, and friends frequently sought her out for advice because she had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. While growing up, some of her best friends were Joy Kennedy, Francie Thomas, and Bertina Junkin. Later in life she became close with her many friends from Dawson Place including Patti McGregor and Michele Way.

      On February 27, 1965 Carole exchanged wedding vows with Keith Earl Needham at the Trinty United Church of Bobcaygeon, Ontario. Compassionate and devoted to Keith, Carole held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. She took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it her total commitment. She was a source of strength to Keith, and using her gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, she worked hard to make her new family happy.

      Carole brought the same traditional values in her marriage to bear on how she raised her children. She was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in her dealings. She would always listen carefully and think things through before she acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Carole was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be, and when they needed to be there. Carole and Keith were blessed with two children, sons Rod and Chris, and they were also blessed with two grandchildren, Stephanie and Danielle.

      Carole greatly enjoyed what she did for a living. She was a hard worker who expected the same in return from her co-workers. She was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Carole enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Carole was excellent at meeting deadlines. She was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. Her primary occupations were Registered Nurse, Labour Relations Advisor, and Human Resources Manager. She was employed for 45 years by Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Fraser Health Authority. In the early 1980's she also served as the Executive Treasurer of the British Columbia Nurses Union. Carole worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      Carole liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them, a trait that carried over into her hobbies of gardening, photography and traveling. Carole was content to enjoy her hobbies alone, but was also willing to share her interests with others.

      Carole found pleasure in sports. She applauded those who won, and commiserated with those who lost. In high school Carole belonged to the volleyball, gymnastics and cheerleading teams, while later on her recreational sports included jogging. She would watch her favorite sporting events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer and ringette.

      Many organizations were grateful to have Carole as a member, since she always brought with her a “stick to it” attitude and a high degree of common sense. Using straightforward methods to successfully complete the job, Carole was a great planner who was incredibly well organized. It seemed that she was able to schedule any event or activity with ease. She always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. Throughout her later years, Carole was an active member of the Human Resources Management Association.

      As a woman who always showed great commitment to the things she believed in, it’s little wonder that Carole was so active in her community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Carole preferred to base her decisions on first-hand experience. Never afraid to roll up her sleeves and dig right in, she served on several fundraising committees for Surrey Memmorial Hospital.

      While growing up in Bobcaygeon, Carole was a member of the Trinity United Church. During that time, she sang soprano in the church choir. She was a sympathetic woman who valued her beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

      Carole enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. She enjoyed researching all of her examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Favorite vacations included Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean and various cruises. In addition, she enjoyed cross-country driving trips with her husband Keith.

      When Carole’s retirement finally arrived in 2003, she was well prepared. She always trusted and placed value in what was logical and in the things she knew, so she was very confident in planning her retirement. She had begun the process early and had her retirement all laid out well in advance. In retirement, she found pleasure in travel, her ongoing consulting work, and watching her granddaughters play sports. Even in retirement, Carole continued to stay in touch with old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in her new life and felt fulfilled.

      Carole Ann Needham passed away on July 22, 2013 at Surrey Memorial Hospital. She is survived by her husband Keith, children Rod and Chris, grandchildren Stephanie and Danielle, mother Sheila and sister Sharon. Services were held at Victory Memorial Park Funeral Center, and Carole was laid to rest in Victory Memorial Park in Surrey B.C.

      Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Carole Ann Needham. She was committed to living the life of a good woman who was both practical and trustworthy. She was committed to the traditional values that she upheld her entire life. She committed herself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around her. Most of all, she was committed to those she knew and loved. She will never be forgotten.

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Needham, Carole Ann

June 23, 1943 – July 22, 2013

It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Carole at Surrey Memorial Hospital at the age of 70. Carole was a loving wife, mother and grandmother who will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by all, including her beloved husband Keith, sons Rod and Chris, daughters-in-law Leanne and Tania, granddaughters Stephanie and Danielle, mother Sheila and sister Sharon, along with the many friends and extended family she had both here in BC and in her childhood home in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. Predeceased by her father Grant Purdy.Leading quietly and by example, Carole will be remembered for her quick laughter, her tireless generosity, and her unwavering love of family. Retired ten years, she still insisted on working steadily for the Fraser Health Authority right up until the end following a long and distinguished career in Nursing and Human Resources. A funeral service and celebration of life will be held Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 2:00pm at Victory Memorial Park Funeral Centre, 14831 28th Avenue, Surrey, BC. We would like to thank all of our family and friends for their amazing love and support, with a special thanks to the overwhelming and heroic efforts of the staff at Surrey Memorial Hospital. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation, 13750 96th Avenue, Surrey, BC V4N 1C4 T: 604-588-3371, or made online at www.smhfoundation.com.