Remembering Mom

    

Jean Frederica Mitchell (nee Buckley) August 27, 1920 – April 9, 2014

Mother passed away at Gateway Haven Nursing Home in Wiarton, Ontario, Thursday evening, April 9, 2014.  She was in her 94^th year.

Cherished mother of Christina and her husband Sheldon Mac Lean of Tobermory.  Loving grandmother of Paul Mac Lean and his partner Jacqueline of Cornwall, Kellie Mac Lean and her husband Randy Smith of Tara.  Dear great grandmother of Kelsey and Alita Mac Lean of California.  Predeceased by sister, Kathleen Russell, Harare, Zimbabwe. 

Jean was born in England and came to the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec as a war bride in 1945.  She was predeceased by her husband Lionel in 1998.  God speed to heaven Mother. 

Private family funeral arrangements entrusted to the George Funeral Home, Wiarton, Ontario.

Expressions of remembrance to the Canadian Mental Health Association would be appreciated.

As I reflect on Mom’s passing, a flood of memories is washing over me.  I think of her arrival in the remote Gaspe Peninsula at the age of 25, far from home and family in England.  Our Canadian winters must have been quite a shock.  Her mother, Beatrice came to visit the Gaspe and I can picture a photo of her sitting on the shore of the Baie des Chaleurs.

My father reenlisted in the RCAF and thus our adventure of travel began.  He and Mom were my tutors as relocating in Canada and Europe meant I attended a total of 17 schools.

In those days we all memorized Shakespeare in school.  Mom corrected my memorization homework with quick recall from her own memory of said plays.  This was amazing to me.

She painted and played the piano.  One day, long ago, I came home to discover her playing my guitar….. a lovely melody sounding through our home.

We lived in Paris, France for years and enjoyed traveling in Europe as well as visiting Nanny Buckley in England.  I spent one flight from Paris to London crawling on my knees throughout the aircraft looking for a button missing from mom’s fur coat…. Thus began my education and development of a Monty Pythonesque sense of humour.  Who doesn’t enjoy laughter….our lives continue to be blessed with humour.    

Our family is comforted by the fact that mother was only very ill for a few days.  Thursday evening marked her transition to a peaceful and loving place.

I would like to send our sincere thanks to loving friends for their warm and compassionate messages.  We are out of Canada until mid May and have appreciated these emails to our new email address  macleanchrisandshell@gmail.com   joyfully, Chris