Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Foote Hawkins

      When Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Hawkins walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Elizabeth was and how she impacted those around her. Elizabeth was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Elizabeth wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Elizabeth was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

       She was the daughter of Clarence and Norma Foote. Elizabeth was raised in Port Arthur and Pembroke, Ontario. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Elizabeth might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Elizabeth was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

      Elizabeth was raised with two siblings. She had an older brother Jack and a younger sister Donna Lynn. Elizabeth was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Elizabeth was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Elizabeth well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

      As a young girl, Elizabeth was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Elizabeth was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Elizabeth took part in swimming, cycling, fishing and hunting. She was a Girl Guide. In her spare time she liked knitting, baking, reading and playing allies. Elizabeth had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

      During her high school years, Elizabeth responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. Elizabeth was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Elizabeth absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Elizabeth, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Elizabeth a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in high school was English.

      Elizabeth did well in college, as a result of her comfort level with tackling new theories and her love of learning. She earned her Fashion Design Degree at Ryerson University. Elizabeth designed and made a dress that she was photographed in and featured in a Canadian Magazine. Elizabeth was very adaptable, a quality that helped her make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Elizabeth's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that she enjoyed virtually every class she took. Elizabeth was always in quest of new things to learn and experience

      With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Elizabeth was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Elizabeth was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Annette Taggart (nee Lehman). Later in life, she became friends with Carolyn Tiffin, Barb Uren, Laura and Cliff Van Steinburg, Kay Munkley, Judy and Steve Tovee.

      On November 12, 1955 Elizabeth married Earle Brodie Hawkins at Kew Beach United Church of Toronto, Ontario. Elizabeth's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Earle's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Elizabeth was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

      Elizabeth was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Elizabeth, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Hawkins home. Elizabeth's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Elizabeth was blessed with three children: two daughters, Catherine and Susan, and one son, David. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Sean, Josiah, Alec, Abram and Leah.

      Elizabeth was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was Homemaker. She was employed at Singer Sewing Machine as Sales Staff in Ottawa, Ontario to earn money to pay for University. Elizabeth was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Elizabeth had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Elizabeth's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

      Because Elizabeth loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were sewing, knitting, quilting, crossword puzzles and photography. Elizabeth had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Elizabeth's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

      Elizabeth derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. Recreational sports included swimming, walking, cycling and skiing. Elizabeth was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were hockey, golf and skiing.

      Throughout her life, Elizabeth was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Elizabeth seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Elizabeth usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. Throughout her later years, Elizabeth was an active member of the Rouge Valley Quilters Guild.

      Because Elizabeth was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, she always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Elizabeth's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made her a great asset. Elizabeth found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Elizabeth was an active member of several community groups, she was a volunteer at Centenary Hospital. Politically, Elizabeth was a conservative.

      Elizabeth was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of Washington United for 25 years. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

      Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Elizabeth's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned her accolades for her many lifelong efforts. Some of her most prestigious awards included a Scarborough Gardening Award and 1st Place Quilt Award at The Cranberry Festival.

      Elizabeth's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Elizabeth took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included family skiing trips in Quebec, an Alaskan Cruise, visiting Williamsburg, Viginia, Europe, Britain, Mexico and many Caribbean Islands.

      Elizabeth was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Pepper, a Beagle cross Terrier mix dog, was a best friend for 18 years. Her family was rounded out by a variety of dogs, Rex, Coco, Corrie and Brodie.

      Elizabeth Hawkins passed away on March 27, 2012 at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Elizabeth died from Alzheimer's Disease. She is survived by her children Catherine, David and Susan; her grandchildren Sean, Josiah, Alec, Abram and Leah. Services were held at Jerrett Funeral Home - Vaughan Chapel, 8088 Yonge Street in Thornhill, Ontario. Elizabeth was laid to rest in Mt. Pleasant Cemetary in Toronto, Ontario.

      There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Elizabeth. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Elizabeth Hawkins for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Elizabeth was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

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HAWKINS, ELIZABETH ANNE (nee Foote) - Peacefully on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at Sunnybrook Health Science Center, Toronto, Ontario at the age of 81. Beloved wife of the late Earle (2001). Loving mother of Catherine (the late Brent Malcolmson), David (Bev), and Susan. Dear Gramma of Sean, Josiah, Alec, Abram, and Leah. Friends may visit at the Jerrett Funeral Home-Vaughan Chapel, 8088 Yonge Street (south of Hwy. 7), Thornhill, Ontario on Friday, March 30, 2012 from 2-4 and 6:30-9 p.m. A funeral service will be held in the Chapel of the funeral Home on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. Following a reception at The Thornhill Golf and Country Club, 7994 Yonge Street, interment will be held at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario. Donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated by the family as your expression of sympathy.