December 6, 1924 – June 9, 2019
Bea Gaynor died peacefully after a short sudden medical emergency on June 9, 2019, at Vancouver General Hospital. She was 94.
Bea was born December 6, 1924, in Calgary, Alberta. She was the eldest child of Charles Boisselle and Matilda Gagnon, and has one sister, Louise (Boisselle/Mercer) Senkiw. She attended St. Ann’s Catholic School and Western Canada High School, graduating with honours in her secretarial courses. Her first office job was with Taylor, Pearson and Carson, in Calgary. In those days, she rode her bicycle to work!
Bea met her first husband, John (Jack) Reeves Alexander, of Sydney, Australia during WWII. They were married and initially lived in Sydney, where they had two children, Douglas John and Ross Edward. Later the family relocated to British Columbia. Bea has lived a long and fruitful life, surviving Jack and their two sons.
Bea lived in West Vancouver for many years. She worked at the YMCA and the Hollyburn Winter Club and was an early member of the Glen Eagles Golf Club and the Capilano Tennis Club. She and her sister were “Charter Members” of the Dogwood Chapter (North Vancouver) of the SPEBSQSA, the YMCA Chorale and the Maple Leaf Singers. Bea was an avid quilter, belonging to the Quilters Guild, and she has made “treasured” quilts for every member of her family, as well as for gifts and charitable organizations. She is known for her creative talents. She studied calligraph and took a sign-painting course to maximize that skill, which was utilized many times over the years. She has added a flair to every gathering she has attended, be it by costume, gift, food or activity. More recently, she has shown her artistic talent in drawing and painting.
In 1988, Bea met her husband, Clifford (Clif) Eugene Gaynor (formerly of Winnipeg). His first question was “What is your Handicap?” They married that year and made their home in Vancouver. Both were long time members of the University Golf Club. After Clif’s death, Bea moved to the Tapestry Retirement Community in Wesbrook Village where she continued to be involved with her friends and family as well as being active in her favourite pursuits. Her family will remember her great love of sports, cards and “word” games, her generosity and her artistic accomplishments.
Bea is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Louise and Roman Senkiw of Maple Ridge; her daughters-in-law Ann Alexander (husband Grant) and Linda Alexander of Vancouver; her grandchildren Ezra Alexander (wife Micha and their children Adam and Alia) of Jakarta, Jeremy Alexander (partner Misha) of Vancouver, and Molly Strong (husband Zach and their children Smith and Charleston) of Olympia, Washington; and Clif’s son Don, in Victoria.
The family would like to thank Arlin DeLeon, Bea’s caregiver, for her dedicated service and friendship over the past years.
Bea’s ashes will be laid to rest with her husband Clif at the Ocean View Burial Park in Burnaby, BC. Please consider sending any memorial contributions to the Salvation Army or a charitable organization of your choice in Bea’s memory.
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