Hope Ann Brown

Our much-loved mother, Hope Brown, died in Victoria, BC on October 3, 2021, after three days of sudden decline. Despite having lived with dementia for over 16 years and losing her ability to communicate verbally by the end, she never lost her grace, dignity, and sweetness.

She was deeply loved by her four children (Nancy, Sheila, Derek, and Robin), their spouses (Rod, Pat, Janet and Pam), her grandchildren (Sarah, David, Chelsea, Dara, Trevor, Blake, Nick and Phil), grandson-in-law (Ryland), and great grandchildren (Jesse and Ayla), as well as by her nieces and nephews.

Hope was born in 1927 in Tolteca, Mexico. She was the youngest of four girls - Patsy and Helen (twins) and Penny - who all predeceased her. She went to boarding school in England from the age of nine, then to Junior High in Westport, Connecticut and high school at Strathcona Lodge Girls School in Shawnigan Lake, BC. There she met her life-long friend, Anne Johnston. In 1945 Hope went to Montreal to study at McGill University.

While living in Montreal she met Ken and they were married in 1949, the same year that she graduated with her BA. Hope worked at the Registrar’s Office at McGill until Nancy’s birth in 1951. Ken’s work with CBC and BBC meant moves to Ottawa, Toronto, and London (England), eventually ending up in 1960 in Chelsea, QC, where they raised their children. They relocated to Victoria in 1990 and returned east to spend summers at their beloved McArthur Lake cabin (aka The Centre of the Universe). In 2005 they moved into The Kensington independent living facility. After Ken’s death in 2010, Hope continued to live there, but as her care needs changed, she moved to Douglas Care Community, and finally in 2019 to Mount St. Mary Hospital.

Hope had a tremendous ability to adapt to different situations in life – from being sent to boarding school a continent away from her parents, to adjusting to her world with Ken who loved nothing more than roughing it in a shack in the woods. While she sometimes worried about the little things, she was a tower of strength when it came to some of the big challenges in life.

A creative soul, Hope was a talented artist. In addition to her paintings, she made beautiful cards, lampshades, and placemats from leaves and flowers that she pressed between the pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Even as her dementia took increasingly more of her away, she continued to create beautiful little arrangements of leaves, shells and rocks, or interesting designs using bobby pins and jewelry.

Hope also had a beautiful voice, spoke fluent Spanish, and enjoyed singing in local choirs. Around the Chelsea home, she often did housework with her hair in rollers while singing songs from such musicals as My Fair Lady and the Sound of Music.

Hope read voraciously and was a lively conversationalist, interested in world events and politics. With a quick wit, she was an animated host of parties with such great friends as the Heilligs, the Boultons, and the Johnstons. She and Ken looked forward to “happy hour”, whether alone, with family, or with McArthur Lake friends.

For many years, she enjoyed her games of tennis at Larrimac with friends like Sheila Wright. Her other great joy was bird-watching, and she spent many hours peering through binoculars at the loons on McArthur Lake. Her children recall her slamming to a halt on the highway to get a better look at a particular bird.

Hope loved her daily walks and shared with Ken a deep respect for nature. She was a true environmentalist and conservationist, shopping at the Nearly New sale where she volunteered, having baths in four inches of water, saving food scraps, and planting camas lilies in their backyard.

With strong values of tolerance, accepting differences and community service, Hope left a legacy of kindness. Even towards the end of her life, she showed great tenderness to others, beyond words, by gently stroking peoples’ arms or hands with her beautiful fingers.

Special thanks to the staff at Mount St. Mary who cared for our mother with such kindness and affection, and to Dr. Brook, whose words were such a comfort to the family at the end of her life. We will miss you, Mum. A private memorial will be held for immediate family.