Helen Rebecca Payne

She is remembered and loved by her children Bob, Bette (Tim), Debbie (Rod), and John, her grandchildren and great grandchildren who adored their Grandma Helen or ‘GG’. Helen was the youngest of four children, born in Glengary, Nova Scotia at home on the family farm. Grandma would tell the story that she was so small at the time that the doctor said to warm her on the oven door and if she made it to the morning she would go on to live a long life. With the tenacity that she’d carry through her life, she proved him right. At 18, she met her true love, Jim, at a dance. They were soon married and lived a long and happy life together travelling to England and across Canada as part of the air force with their four children. Helen enjoyed her job as a secretary in the different places she lived. In their later years, Helen and Jim settled in the Comox Valley after their first grandchild was born. Helen loved walking to the beach and had many hobbies including knitting sweaters for her grandchildren. Helen enjoyed her yearly trips back east to Nova Scotia to visit her mother, and family that she was so fond of. Helen took such great joy in being a grandmother and later a great grandmother. She would play for hours with her grandchildren and sleepovers at Grandma’s were always so special. One of her great joys in life was watching her great grandchildren play and hearing about all their accomplishments. It has been the most wonderful gift to grow up knowing and loving such an amazing grandma. In 2010, we lost Grandpa and Grandma always missed him so deeply. We want to give huge thanks to Helen’s homecare nurse for the wonderful attention and joy she brought to her these last few years and thanks to all of the nurses and staff at Comox Valley Hospital for the care they showed Helen in her final days. Rest well Grandma, we will miss you always but know that your love lives on in us. When we enjoy fresh strawberries, see a beautiful bird in the sky, or pat a friendly cat we will think of you. Enjoy that dance Grandpa has been saving for you all these years. A small gathering will be held at a later date to celebrate Grandma’s life.