Norah Breckon

Mom is lovingly remembered by her children Margaret Bushie (Harvey), Stuart (Maureen) and Christine McDonald (Jock), grandchildren Rick Bushie (Glennis), Ian Bushie (Candace), Robyn Hall (Gabriel), Jennifer Breckon, JoAnne Breckon (Terry), Patrick Breckon, Jocelyn Breckon, James McDonald (Kelly), Shelagh Gamble (Joe), and Stuart McDonald. She is also survived by 15 great grandchildren and one great great grandson.

She was predeceased by her husband, Walter, parents Bernard and Eleanor James, sister Margaret Newport, infant grandson John Bushie and great granddaughter Chloe Bushie.

Mom was born on February 19, 1923 in Penang, Malaya where her father, Bernard, was the financial officer for a British rubber plantation. The family moved from Malaya back to London, England in 1925. When her father became ill the family moved to Cornwall, where the sea air was thought best for his health. He passed when mom was 9. Her mother, Eleanor, then moved with the two girls (mom and her younger sister Margaret) to Bexhill on Sea in Sussex. It was in Bexhill that mom grew up and received her schooling.

When World War II broke out, she joined the Woman's Royal Naval Service (WRENS). After basic training at Portsmouth, she was assigned to the paymaster's office at HMS Marlborough in Eastbourne, on the South coast of England. She could vividly recall hiding for cover when the German bombs were falling and seeing the fighter planes and anti aircraft guns go into action as the Battle of Britain unfolded in the skies above. She always remembered the huge flotilla of ships departing on D-Day.

It was in Eastbourne that she met her future husband, Walter. He was stationed in the area with a Canadian anti aircraft battery. It was an unusual time in England due to the war and strict rations. One time when Walter was coming over for dinner, Norah's mother managed to catch a rabbit that had been living close by so there was meat on the table! There were no wedding dresses available so one had to be borrowed.

After the war, the Canadian soldiers were sent home in troopships, the war brides were to follow later. In 1946 Mom set sail for Canada as a war bride, traveling with 3000 other brides and children to Halifax, then traveling by special trains from Halifax. Walter met her in Winnipeg and they drove on muddy roads to the farm at Emerson. The war bride experience was unique and throughout her life Norah continued to meet other war brides who would become long time friends. There was a small surprise at the farm. All her life mom was used to electricity and running water. Unfortunately rural electrification had not yet reached the Breckon farm, though it was soon to come.

Norah and Walter were on the farm until 1952, when they moved to Homewood where Walter was a grain agent. In Homewood mom joined the WA, was active in the curling club and raised her children. It was a wonderful time to raise a family in rural Manitoba. She made several trips back to England with the children on the grand ocean liners of the time. The trips would involve train travel to the east coast and then the ocean travel, so each visit to her family in England would involve several months.

The family moved to Winnipeg in 1966 settling in Fort Garry. Soon her children were going off to university, then on to careers and marriage. In Winnipeg Norah enjoyed her lawn bowling, her children and her grandchildren. She loved to travel with Walter, including trips to England, to visit her children in the U.S. and to take winter holidays in Bermuda and Victoria, B.C.

From the time she and her sister were kids, mom usually had a cat in the house. Even in the Irene Baron Center, mom would sneak Huebert the cat into her room. She always followed the news of the Royal Family and she loved seafood, especially shrimp. She had a very British reserve and she never complained. We will all miss her.

The family would like to thank the staff at Irene Baron Center/ River East Home for taking such excellent care of Norah during the last years of her life. Mom felt very comfortable at the Center and it was great comfort to the family to know that she was in good hands. We would also like to thank mom’s long time family doctor, Dr. L. Hilderman for her care and compassion.

A private service was held on Saturday, December 6, 2014 at Thompson In the Park, Winnipeg.

A Celebration of her Life and Internment will take place at Emerson, Manitoba on Sunday, July 12, 2015.