June 18, 1934 - Sept. 8, 2023
Polly Powley passed away peacefully on September 8, 2023. She is survived by her son, David Powley, his wife Martine Bouchard; her five grandchildren and one grandchild-in-law, Jonathan Bouchard-Powley; Emily Toorenburgh and her husband Willem Toorenburgh; Sabrina Powley; Ginny Cardinall; Rose Cardinall-Redfern; three great-grandchildren, Brooklyn, Abel, and Skye; and many loving relatives.
How do you distill such a full life into one small page? Polly travelled the world, and in her words, "I've gone everywhere she wanted to go, eaten everything I wanted to eat, and experienced everything I could hope for."
Polly was born in Toronto on June 18, 1934, and grew up in a small family restaurant, along with her parents, sister Anna, brother Jimmy, and a large extended family.
She met the love of her life, Peter Powley, at age 19 in England. They met again later in Toronto, where they started a relationship, then later moved to BC before his early passing in 1974. Incredibly, she went back to school one month later and raised her two young children as a single mother. She would then become a social worker, committed to helping those in need.
She was a devoted grandmother who supported the performing arts on the Sunshine Coast. She was a staple of the performing arts community for years, taking her grandchildren to, and helping with rehearsals, costuming, and watching many performances. Her love for all the arts was palpable.
The full life she lived cannot truly be understood by just reading the words on the page. Our only hope is to convey her intelligence, humour, and wisdom in our lives as we carry on her legacy.
If you would like to get in contact with her family, please reach out to: [email protected].
Photo credit goes to Scott Little.
