Helen Simpson

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 13th, 2016 after a long and heart-breaking battle with dementia, our mom slipped the confines of this cruel disease and joined much-loved family members who have passed before her.

As her daughters, we are left to not only mourn our loss but to share the memories that she could not in her final years and it is our honour to do so.

Mom was a proud farm girl from Napanee, Ontario. She loved her roots and in spite of having lived in Toronto for almost 70 of her 88 years, she was quick to refer to us as “city slickers” whenever the opportunity arose. At just 19 years of age and following the unexpected death of her father, our mom and her sister Ruth ended up in Toronto in pursuit of a post-secondary education and employment. They achieved both, and while rooming together on Heath Street, mom met a dashing new police recruit and former Captain in the British Army, who became our dad. She loved to mention how when she first saw him, he was standing in uniform on the front porch stairs and she was just smitten.

Married in 1955, they moved into their first and only home in the Yonge and Davisville area of town, raised a family of four kids, (and countless pets), and each summer packed everyone into the Malibu station wagon for a three week camping adventure in a tiny tag-along trailer. Our mom attended every parent-teacher night at Maurice Cody Public School, sat through countless concerts, bought numerous boxes of our Girl Guide cookies and was without question, our greatest fan.

Our visits home were always met with a welcome smile and a pot of tea that we could enjoy together while we settled in to chat; she was interested in absolutely everything that was happening in our lives.

In her later years, she loved working in her backyard perennial garden, watching city council, following the Toronto Blue Jays and completing Toronto Star crossword puzzles.

We are eternally thankful to support staff from Cummer Lodge including Marcia, Jessica and Venet who made mom’s final months with this unfair disease, as enjoyable as possible. Left to mourn this great lady are daughters Elizabeth (John), Mary (John), Susan (Nick), daughter-in-law (Jeanette), niece Joan (Tom), grandkids Anne, Jason, Natalie, Mackenzie, Katie, Christopher, Emily and Lizzie as well as great-grandchildren and most recently, a great-great grand-daughter. And we would be remiss if we failed to mention mom’s adored four-legged companions, Maddie and Harry. Waiting for her with open arms are her sister (Ruth), son (James), husband (Len) and nephew (David).

A private memorial service will be held at her home on a date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada would be appreciated.

Mom, put the kettle on. We’ll be catching up one day soon.