Theresa Rose Emberly

EMBERLY, Theresa Rose - It is with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our sister Theresa Rose Emberly who died on 13 February 2022 at the age of 59. Theresa has found release from her struggles with young onset Alzheimer’s and she will be greatly missed. When she became primarily nonverbal her face still conveyed her emotions with a movement from her eyebrows or a roll of her eyes. She connected with others and her laughter was a joy to hear. While she was still mobile she conveyed her deep caring for others with a touch of her hand. She would also console, with a pat on the back, anyone who seemed upset. While she might not have been able to take part in conversations, she enjoyed socialising with others and always seemed to recognize everyone even if names didn’t mean as much. Theresa grew up in Porters Lake and was loved by friends, neighbours, and the many customers she cared for in Emberly’s Canteen (Porters Lake and Head Chezzetcook). Theresa was awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts (NSCAD, 1989), Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (SMU, 1989) and Master of Education, Counselling (Acadia 1994), Theresa was very talented, modest, kind and extremely creative. As an accomplished artist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnCKldqUGSQ and as a skillful counsellor, she was intensely interested in Art Therapy. We believe that Breast Cancer and Young Onset Alzheimer’s robbed the world of her brilliant insights, connections and discoveries. Warm and empathic Theresa held your secrets, worries, fears, hopes, and dreams in her metaphorical vault. Confiding in her left you feeling safe, respected, stronger and more hopeful. Even when her brain betrayed her, her heart remained open. Frequently compassionate, you could see her try to reach out to acknowledge the pain she saw in others.

Theresa delighted in good literature, good friends, and good word games. Celebrating deep into the night, friends and family loved to help her celebrate her legendary love of Halloween, music and dancing.

Family and friends are eternally grateful for the caregivers who helped her to remain in her home longer than was believed possible. We are thankful to the staff of Continuing Care, Geriatric Psychiatry Outreach Team, and Willow Hall who were increasingly kind and tolerant as Theresa lost all but the most vivid of her language skills. These wonderful professionals remained kind, strong, gentle, and compassionate. In both Willow Hall and Caritas Residence Theresa was treated with acceptance, respect, and unconditional positive regard within an atmosphere of trust and confidentiality. This philosophy of care for Theresa, in her illness, was heartbreakingly similar to Theresa’s philosophy of care for others, when she was healthy. We are thankful for each caregiver who helped her.

Theresa was predeceased by her parents William B. and M. Jeanette (MacNeil) Emberly, her brother James (Clem) Bartlett Emberly, Dartmouth, NS; her brother-in-law Joseph (Marie) Bonner, Saint John, NB; her brother-in-law Murray (Gerri) Chatham, ON; her brother-in-law Jules (Gerri) Halwyn, Chatham, ON; her sister-in-law Heather (Ken) Emberly, Kirkfield, ON; and her sister-in-law Helen (Bill) Emberly Winnipeg, MB; and her great nephew Brandon Emberly, Drayton Valley, AB. Survived by her sisters Gerri Douez (John) Chatham, ON; Marie (Henry) Totten, Saint John, NB; Peggy (Ken) Foote, Halifax, NS; Jeanette (Orlando) Hung, Halifax, NS; Elizabeth Catherine Emberly, Halifax, NS; and brothers Bill Emberly, Winnipeg, MB; and Ken Emberly, Kirkfield, ON; sister-in-law Clem Emberly, Dartmouth, NS; her former husband Danny Banfield, Bridgewater, and two stepdaughters Basia and Gabi Sowinski-Banfield, Halifax, NS; as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family and life-long friends.

Theresa would have loved to know that your donation, in lieu of flowers, went to either Breast Cancer or Alzheimer’s research, Hope for Wildlife, or the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre.

More importantly, we recommend that you stop and admire a flower or light a candle and remember those you love. Play the song Spirt in the Sky (by Norman Greenbaum), as Theresa often did. Sing along at the top of your voice and dance to it as hard as you can because you loved her; and more importantly, because she loved you.

Cremation has taken place.

There will be a Celebration of Life held on Sunday, August 21st from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home (217 Portland St., Dartmouth). The family requests that masks be worn, unless you are eating or drinking at the event.