Peacefully and quietly at the West Island Palliative Care Center, on Friday, November 9th, Helen died at the age of 77 surrounded by her loving family.
Born in Newark in England she graduated in Metallurgy from Manchester University, the first woman to do so in 27 years. With her husband Dermot and her two sons, she moved to Montreal in 1974. She went on to work in the then Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of McGill University until her retirement in 2012. She held a special place in her heart for the students.
Before and during her retirement, her passion was swimming with the Pointe-Claire Masters’ Swim Club, where she held Provincial Records on two separate occasions. Her Club mates, or “swimming buddies”, as she called them, provided caring and friendship during the more than five and a half years she lived with her cancer; they encouraged her to swim with them up until just a few months from her death. She and her family have been grateful for the many visits and attention from the Club and from many cherished friends in the last weeks of her life in particular.
The family is grateful to St. Mary’s Hospital, where Helen received support and kindness during years of treatment, to the wonderful care from CLSC St-Louis, and to the West Island Palliative Care Center, whose staff and volunteers provided such loving, compassionate care for Helen and her family in her last weeks.
She is survived by husband Dermot, sons Stuart (Rosemary) and Douglas (Inês) and grandsons Nico, Alex and baby Theo, and her brother Andrew (Judy).
A reception by the family will be held at Helen’s favorite restaurant on Sunday, November 25, 2018 from 2:00 pm. All friends are welcome to Comme Chez Soi, 297 Lakeshore Road, Pointe-Claire, QC H9S 4L4. Reflections on Helen’s life will be shared at 3:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen’s name to St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation and The West Island Palliative Care Center would be appreciated.
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