Annie Page

PAGE, Annie – With great sadness, we announce the passing of our dear mother on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 in her 78th year. Beloved wife of the late Rudy. Loving mother of Joyce Fleury (Edsel), John Page (Carmel), Diane Roy (Richard), Maxine Smale (Wade), Rick Page and Michelle Jamieson (Mark). Devoted Granny of Nanette Peters (Todd), Edsel Fleury (Heather), Chris Page (Holly), Amanda Roy (Ted), Adam Roy, Tyler Jamieson, Carrie Smale and Kyle Jamieson. Special great grandma of John and Michael Peters, Lily and Panos Fleury. Dear sister of Richard Metcalfe (Margaret), Dorothy Williams and the late Alice Hayes (late Fermon). She will be remembered by many nieces, nephews and cherished friends. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Saturday, December 11, 2010 from 12 pm until time of funeral service in the chapel at 2 pm. Mrs. Helen Smith officiating. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Memorial contributions to the Kidney Foundation or in memory of Annie’s husband to the Alzheimer’s Society would be appreciated.

Annie was born March 20, 1933 in Blind River Ontario the daughter of Andrew and Pearl Metcalfe. She had one brother Richard and two sisters Dorothy and Alice. As a child she hated milk and at meal time would always try and find a way to make it disappear, one way was to pick at the wallpaper seam and to hide as much milk as she could in that seam. Growing up Annie in a time when most people had very little it annoyed her when her sister took her dress to wear to a dance. Never one to let things get the better of her Annie simply dressed in old clothing and went to the dance and made her sister trade clothes. Annie wasn’t going to miss the dance!

After leaving school Annie began to work at the Davey Home. One day when she was just eighteen Annie noticed a young gentleman delivering ice. She was to find out that his name was Rudy Page and that night she went home a wrote a letter saying she had met the man she was going to marry. Annie knew what she was talking about because she and Rudy did marry. Together they raised a family of six children Joyce, John, Diane, Maxine, Rick, and Michelle.

Theirs was a small house with a large family that Annie made a home. I don’t think life was ever boring in their home because Annie wouldn’t let it be. She was a well known instigator of huge food and water fights. Annie loved berry picking especially blueberries, as a child she had picked berries to help pay for her school books, as an adult it helped to feed her family but I think Annie just loved being out of doors. Annie and Rudy had a garden and Annie never wasted a thing. She loved the fresh produce and enjoyed cucumber sandwiches fresh from the garden or leaf lettuce sandwiches, or green onion sandwiches.

Actually Annie was a person who never wanted to get rid of anything. She always knew someone might use it. Most recently it was a yellow rug. In the past few years she moved five times in a two year period taking with her lots of boxes full of who knows what but they all had to be moved and one yellow carpet that the family kept threatening to throw out because it was never used and they were sick of moving it.

Annie was forever buying Christmas presents and hiding them and not finding them till Easter, she certainly made life interesting for you. Annie and Rudy loved to dance, especially the polka and they looked good dancing together. They also enjoyed playing cards and cribbage was their favourite card game.

Annie was the very proud and loving granny of Nanette, Edsel, Chris, Amanda, Adam, Tyler, Carrie and Kyle and great-grandma of John, Michael, Lily and Panos. Over the years she spent a great deal of quality time with them. She surrounded them with love and laughter. Annie’s life was dedicated to being a wife, mother and perhaps best of all granny and great-grandma. Her happiest times were when she was surrounded by family. She loved them dearly and that love wasn’t one sided.

Annie was probably the original Elvis fan. She had a huge collection and even had a poster of him on her bedroom ceiling. On her 75th birthday her family had a party for her based on an Elvis theme, it certainly added to her collection and everyone had a wonderful time, most of all Annie.

Annie was talented in the art of home making. She was a gifted knitter, many people had mitts, socks, hats or afghans she made. Annie could sew and was a talented at mending her brother and nephews often brought their mending to her. She could cook and bake and make people feel at home. I heard about her wonderful beef barley soup and how she knit team hats for her grand children’s hockey teams or baked cookies for their classrooms. Annie was a nurturer a giver, no matter what. Just this week she made 10 dozen tie plates.

Annie had so many interests. She thought young and acted young. She was first and foremost in her life a mom. She was always active and always willing to try something new. She had liked bowling and enjoyed fishing. One of her fishing highlights was a flying fishing trip she took with Diane and her family three years ago. The morning after they arrived it was cold and snowy but Annie insisted she was going out fishing with Richard and she caught her first pickerel. It made her trip.

Annie was a Nascar fan, Jeff Gordon was her favourite driver. She enjoyed Blue Jays and was excited to have gone to a game in September. Annie had a spirit of adventure and while some may have been a little cautious about walking over the glass floor at the CN tower not Annie, she loved every minute of it.

Annie also liked to create oil paintings of scenery. She had an eye and knew just how it should look. One time she had Michelle and mark searching all over for phallo-yellow green. They never did find it but Annie knew it was what she needed to make the painting just right.

Annie appreciated music, especially Elvis music, she had played the Jews Harp. She had liked to read mostly magazines, that is probably all she really had time for. In 1998 Rudy passed away, he had been ill for a while and Annie had cared for him. After his loss it was quite difficult for Annie and eventually she moved in with her son Rick and she once again was able to be busy.

Annie was competitive. Michelle had gotten a Wuii game for her sons and Annie and Rick would come over and play, Annie didn’t like to loose. She and Rick got a game and didn’t tell anyone so she could practice and be able to be on an even playing field when she visited her grandsons.

Annie wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Annie had a wonderful sense of humour, she loved to laugh and tell stories and jokes. She enjoyed being able to tease her grandchildren and to make them laugh. Annie was a wise woman she knew what was happening with her children and grand children and was always on top of it. She told them she would get her spoon although I don’t think that spoon ever appeared. The one time you were able to pull something over on her was her surprise 70th birthday party, Annie was overwhelmed.

In so many ways Annie was that good wife we read of in the book of Proverbs. Her family, was the center of her life. She was always there for them. She made sure they were well cared for and above all else she taught them the meaning and importance of family. To you she was and will always be a jewel beyond price and like a precious jewel she brought sparkle to your life.

We were told in the reading from John that there is a special place created for each of us. That is where Annie is now in that room, that place that God has prepared just for her. A place where she is restored to the woman God created her to be. A place where there is no sickness, no pain. A place where she is reunited with those she has loved and lost, where she is reunited with those she has loved and lost.

Earlier I spoke about an African folk take that said journey is a part of gift. Journey is a part of the gift and Annie’s journey was a precious and treasured gift to each one of us. Annie welcomed you on that journey you took together and the memories , the stories, and the love you shared, the lessons you learned were a part of the gift, We honour her memory if we continue our journey cherishing the gift life is and embracing it and living it too its fullest just as Annie taught us to.

Words From Mrs. Helen Smith