I like to use my last column of the year to honour the Elphinstonians who have passed away during the year. Remembering the people who have passed on makes us better people and their lessons become our lessons.
Rosemary Lawson died early in 2021, on Jan. 3, at 90 and is remembered as being a person with a good sense of humour who enjoyed boating, fishing and baking, especially lemon loaves. Kerry Mahlman recalls her sunshine yellow house where there was a perfect view of the sea from her Ocean Beach Esplanade home where she raised four children. “She was among the kindest, thoughtful, intelligent of elders – always checking in on neighbours and friends, sharing a joke and a story,” says Kerry.
Bud Fisher was 93 when he died on May 16, still living at his home off Gower Point Road. He was predeceased in 2016 by wife Celia Fisher, well-known Area E director and former school trustee. I interviewed him for a column in March 2019 and he regaled my husband and me with stories from the past. A great-grandson of George Gibsons, he told us that old Doc Inglis had to ride out on his horse through the snow in December 1927 to deliver him into the world, as there was no hospital on the Coast at that time. Bud was a jack of all trades, as so many were growing up on the Coast in those years. He was a log salvager and also fished, trawling all the way up to the Queen Haida Gwaii.
Wendy Moss passed away on June 3 and many will remember her as a member of the Sunshine Coast Hospital Auxiliary and the Gibsons Lions Club. Her husband was with the RCMP, so the family moved a lot in early years – from Whitehorse to Sooke to Haida Gwaii. They eventually ended up in Elphinstone, where the family stayed and thrived. Loretta Macklam who passed along her name to me, had great respect for Wendy who was very involved and active in her community.
Joyce Ripper, who passed away on June 22 at 88, was as an integral member of the local Baha’i community. Baha’i beliefs centre around the idea that the religions of the world and their prophets originate from the same source and are all manifestations of God. As well as being devoted to her family, Joyce was a talented carver. Marilyn Giesbrecht remembers her beautiful carvings of great blue herons.
These are people who helped shape the community we live in; they leave behind loved ones, but also their words and actions that live on in the memories of all those whose lives they touched.
Apologies if I missed anyone; let me know at: [email protected]
With all the supply chain issues right now, buying local makes more sense than ever! Amazon gives nothing back to our community – every order is money in Jeff Bezos’ pocket – the world’s richest man. Support local businesses and help our community to thrive by buying local. Wishing everyone a healthy, happy holiday season.
