THOMSON, Agnes Ronald - It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Agnes Ronald Thomson on June 6, 2021 at the age of 89. Agnes was born in Kinross, Scotland to Thomas Stark and Jean Ronald. At age 29, and with a one-year baby in tow, Nan and her husband Ken Thomson boarded a boat and sailed to a new life in the West Indies. After a few years in the tropical paradise of Jamaica, and with a new young son, the family moved to Canada. Nan spent 10 years in Ontario (she actually saw the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup) before moving east to Halifax. Mum lived in Halifax for nearly 50 years. She loved this charming historic city and her life on bustling Spring Garden Road. The Public Gardens were her backyard. She strolled its paths, sat in the shade to read, attended band concerts, and enjoyed people watching. The Public Library was a favourite haunt of this voracious reader and Mum spent many a summer day strolling the beautiful Halifax waterfront. Nan, or Mrs. Thomson as she was known to students and faculty alike, had a successful career in the Department of Graduate Studies at Dalhousie University where she worked with Dr. Ken Leffek throughout his tenure as Dean. She was a tough, no-nonsense administrator who also went out of her way to help students be successful. When summer holidays came around, Mum enjoyed travelling. After two granddaughters made an appearance, Mum happily ventured across Canada and around the American South to see two girls who loved visits from their sparkly Grandma Thomson. GT had a funny accent and she showed up at airports with treats in her pockets. Magical things appeared out of her suitcase. Beautiful hand knitted sweaters came in Christmas presents and “Mad Money” slipped out of birthday cards. GT came for every special occasion and often just in time to save the day by sewing, baking, or fixing something. After retiring from Dalhousie, Mum renewed her old passion for needlework and fiber arts. She joined a sewing class and quickly found a second home. Not only did needlework give her an outlet for her creative talents, it introduced her to a gang of “sewing ladies” that became her best friends. Together they sewed, gossiped, drank tea, bragged about kids and grandkids, solved the world’s problems, and supported each other through thick and thin. Over the years, Mum created beautiful Jacobean crewel work pictures that were displayed in art shows or auctioned for charity. Her lovely work hangs in every family member’s home. Mrs. Thomson, Nan, Mum, Grandma, Great-Grandma was strong, determined, sentimental, stubborn, proper, inclusive, generous, kind, strict, understanding, clever, witty, talented, and poetic. She was the matriarch of our family, the big boss, the Queen Bee, our rock, and our safe harbour. We miss her so much. To paraphrase W. H. Auden “she was our North, our South, our East and West, our working week and daily rest. We thought that she would last forever.” Nan is survived by David Thomson and wife Kim, Carol Thomson Poplin and husband Eric, grandchildren Ailsa Poplin and Audrey Poplin Ray, and two beautiful great-grandchildren Maisie and McLean. No funeral will be held. When conditions permit, family and friends will gather for a celebration of Mum’s life.
When death’s dark stream I ferry over,
A time that surely shall come.
In heaven itself I’ll ask no more
Than just a Highland welcome.
Robert Burns
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