Gwen Hickey (nee Cobham) died peacefully in her Thornhill home on October 14, 2020 at the age of 92. Her long life was marked by resilience, a no-nonsense spirit and a great sense of humour, which will be keenly missed. The eldest of six children, Gwen was born on Sept 20 1928 in Toronto to Arthur and Camilla Cobham. She attended Loretto College High School and St Mike’s College at The University of Toronto. Married to Frank Robert Hickey in 1949, Gwen and Frank had 8 children - 5 in Edmonton in the 50s; and three in Simcoe in the 60s, where Gwen oversaw the construction of a wonderful large family home where we lived until 1972 when the family moved to Thornhill.
Gwen approached life with a grounded ‘life’s too short’ attitude. She had a large network of lasting friends, some of whom accompanied Gwen on her many travels as far away as Vanuatu (to visit her son, Francis), New Zealand, the Amazon, the UK, and much of Europe. Ever thoughtful and energetic, Gwen volunteered for over 20 years in the Palliative Care Unit at St Michael’s Hospital. Gwen had a bright mind and avid interest in current events, nurtured by her daily cover-to-cover reading of the Globe and Mail. She had an elegant and engaging voice and was an exceptional story teller of anecdotes from her life and the world she grew up in. Her kids’ friends would go out of their way to say hello to Gwen and catch some of her spirited stories and quick-witted fun.
Most important in Gwen’s life have been her children and grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by them: Jennifer (Michael), Camilla (predeceased), Jan, Valerie, Francis (Sandrine), Teresa (Wayne), Laura, and John. Affectionately known as ‘Nanny’ to Meagan, Katie, Gillian, Stephanie, Amrita, Camila, Gregory, Marama, Claire, Tristan, and Jaden, Gwen brought much joy to her 12 grandkids. Gwen will also be dearly missed by her siblings Arthur, Alan, Camilla, Robert, and George. Her passing has left a large hole in our hearts.
Online condolences and funeral service details are available at R.S Kane Funeral Home (www.rskane.ca). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Children Believe (childrenbelieve.ca)
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