Beatrice "Peggy" Lillian Huddleston

Beatrice “Peggy” Huddleston (née Fournier), 95, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 27, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of adventure, humour, and fierce independence. Born into a large French-Canadian family in northern Ontario in 1929, Peggy was the 4th youngest of 12 children. Peggy grew up in a house her dad built on a large self-sustaining farm where she developed a love for nature and lifelong appreciation for family.

At 18 Peggy was accepted to St. Michael’s School of Nursing and graduated with her RN in 1952. After working a few years in Toronto, Peggy made adventurous decisions that took her across the country, never shying away from the unknown. She worked at the Calgary General Hospital as an OR nurse before meeting her husband and leaving work to raise her family. She returned to nursing working in Addictions and Mental Health at both AADAC in Calgary and Syncrude in Fort McMurray. Picking up and moving to new horizons several times, Peggy embraced life, trusting her instincts and her ability to handle whatever came her way.

Peggy was dedicated to her family, her lifelong friendships and was an active community participant in the communities that she lived. Also a lover of books and art, her home was filled with novels and creative works, and she never hesitated to share her passions and joie de vivre with her kids and grandkids

Nature was her lifelong companion. She often hiked, camped, canoed and swam, traditions that kept her grounded and active well into her later years. No matter her age, Peggy took on outdoor activities with determination, and though her pace might have slowed over the years, her love for beautiful views and good company never dimmed.

In the last 10 years of her life, Peggy faced the challenges of dementia. Even as her memory faded, her humour and grit remained, making her loved ones laugh even during the toughest times. Her family were always by her side, and her presence will be sorely missed by those who knew her best.

Peggy is survived by her five children, Alex, Ross (Sandy), Mary (Mike), Paul (Amy), and Ruth, her seven grandchildren Dylan (Andrea), Dillon, Jens (Zoe), Scott (Amanda), Alexandria, Mackenzie (Ciara), Nicole and two great-grandchildren Nolan and Theodore, as well as her siblings, Trudy Fournier and Arthur Fournier and her many nieces and nephews. She was a woman who lived on her own terms, with a sharp mind and a heart full of love for those closest to her.

Our family are extremely grateful and have tremendous respect for the caregivers at AgeCare SkyPoint and Brentwood Care center. They exceeded our expectations in their professionalism and dedication to dementia care provided to our mom and support to our family.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer’s Society of Canada at their website https://alzheimer.ca/ in honor of Peggy’s resilience with which she faced dementia.

A celebration of Peggy’s life will be held at a later date. It will be a time to share stories, laughter, and to honour a woman who lived a life that was uniquely her own.