Obituaries & Condolences

GARTLEY, Doreen Edith…

Quietly at Mount Hope Centre for long term care, Doreen Gartley passed away on Thursday July 13, 2023, in her 90th year. Beloved wife of the late Douglas Gartley (1999). Cherished step mother of Christine Irvine ( Steven) and Jane Brown (Craig). Nana to Mark (Sarah) Irvine, Greg (Allison) Irvine, William (Robyn) Brown, Anna (Alex) Holyrod – Smith and Julian (Amy) Brown. Great Nana to Leah, Mackenzie, Aria, Miles, Rosalie, Levi, Tegan, India and baby Zara. Sister to Garnet Randal and Avis Brown (deceased)

Doreen was an energetic and vibrant woman who enjoyed meeting people in their businesses of the Star Motel on Hwy 401/4, One Main Street in Delaware, and Skin Sense in London. She also was an avid curler with the London Curling Club. Enjoyed playing bridge and always hoped for that hole in one in golf. 

In following Doreen’s wishes, cremation has taken place and she will be laid to rest with her husband in Strabane Cemetery. In memory of Doreen, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, 1200-2300 Yonge Street, Box 2414, Toronto, ON M4P 1E4. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

Larry William Martyn passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones in St. Thomas, Ontario, the afternoon of July 3rd, 2023 in his 61^st year. Larry will be missed by his son William, daughter-in-law Marlee, granddaughter Cayden, step grandson Jordan, his daughter Cerena with her partner Devon, his daughter Sabryna, his brother Geoff with his wife Jen, and his brother Gary with his wife Carolyn and their son Liam. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

FISHER (nee Ducharme), Shirley Rose…

At 80 years of age, Shirley Rose Fisher (nee Ducharme) passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by family in London, Ontario, on Friday, May 12, 2023.

She will be greatly missed by her children Cam (Bev), Pam (Dave) and Dawn; her grandchildren Jaymee (Jordan), Brent (Alyssa), Juliana (John), and Lucinda; her brother William; her Aunts Victoria and Isabel and her Uncle Mervin (Betty).

She was born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan on May 30, 1942. She moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba as a young child with her mother Mary Latter and then moved to London in her late thirties. Throughout her working life, she held many positions in Customer Service. The two most significant companies where she devoted the most time were the T. Eaton Company Limited at their flagship store on Portage Ave for 15 years and the Royal Bank of Canada for 25 years until her retirement in 2006.

She loved to swim, golf, cycle, hike, colour, paint, crochet and embroider. One of her favourite hobbies was sewing Halloween costumes and outfits for special occasions for herself, her children and grandchildren.

She enjoyed going to the movies on a weekly basis and to the theatre or concerts whenever she could. She rarely missed watching the Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, Grammys and the Met Gala every year.

She was fortunate to be able to travel to many parts of Canada, England, the United States, Mexico and Cuba.

Cremation has taken place. As an expression of sympathy, donations in memory of Shirley may be made to the Humane Society London & Middlesex, 624 Clarke Road, London, ON N5V 3K5. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

SMALL, Robert “Bob”…
Robert (Bob) John Small was born May, 8th, 1936 in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia and passed peacefully on June 8th, 2023 in London, Ontario. He served in the peacekeeping forces in the Middle East in the 1950’s. In 1963, he met the love of his life and his best friend Peggy. In 1965 they married and raised three sons together. They enjoyed life to the fullest travelling, dancing, playing cards and spending time with many friends. Bob is survived by his wife Peggy, his sons Bob Jr. (Maureen), Craig (Emily) and Brad (Julie). He is the proud grandfather of Finn, Reid, Carter and Jack. Dear brother of David (Mary).
Bob spent his career in the automotive industry. In his spare time, Bob was a skilled wood worker and created many beautiful pieces of furniture and Intarsia. He also loved music.
The family would like to thank the team at LHSC and Strathroy Hospital for their wonderful care in Bob’s final days. We would also like to thank Dr. Gary Perkin for his many years of care and Amin Allidina and his team at Strathroy Medical Pharmacy. A special thank you to Wilma VanBussel and residents of Vintage green. In memory of Bob, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 1200-2300 Yonge Street, Box 2414, Toronto, ON M4P1E4. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date for friends and family. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

An Incredible Life…

One of the most winning-est contestants at the annual Embro Fair (everyone loved her raspberry pies and her smocking) is now sewing, baking, canning, and mingling her way through heaven. Helen Ruth Turvey, hard core bargain shopper, happily obsessive list-maker, mint chocolate lover, mother of two (but ‘adopted’ mother to hundreds), fast and true friend to all, and a wonderful person who would always lift you up when you were down, passed away on May 24th, 2023, just three days into her 95th year.

Helen (born Helen Mitchell), spent her early years as a city girl in Brantford, Ontario. Her initial work experience was supporting the war effort where she worked as a secretary and inventory clerk at Cockshutt Plow Company which had been retooled during WWII. Unbeknownst to her, a handsome machinist inside the plant had become a secret admirer. This machinist, John Turvey, took the courageous step to ask her to the company Christmas dance and the rest is history. Their relationship blossomed. After they were married, they moved to the Turvey family farm outside of Embro, Ontario. The city girl was now in the country where she forged many new life-long relationships and learned many new–and exciting–skills.

The whole community valued from her eagerness to get involved and make a difference. She was a 4H leader, teacher, and motivator, who took incredible joy in watching young people grow during her years of weekly 4H sessions in her farmhouse sewing room. She was known for her organizing skills and was called upon hundreds of times for church suppers where she would be up to her elbows mashing big pots of potatoes and stirring tubs of gravy. She was made a lifetime member of the Women’s Institute because of her many years of service and valued contributions. In her later years, organizations like the London Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House benefited from the hundreds of quilts she made for children suffering from extreme medical issues.

Helen is now reunited with her loving husband and favourite ‘Sunday drive in the country’ tour guide, John Turvey, who passed away in 2007. She is predeceased by her seven siblings and survived by her daughters Jessica (Neil Dempster) Turvey, and Karen Turvey.

Helen made a huge difference in so many lives because of how much she cared. And, although she is not with us anymore, we know she would want to be remembered for a principle she lived by, and a principle she helped many other people embrace, “Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.“

At the specific request of Helen, a small and private ceremony with only the immediate family is planned. Helen will be laid to rest beside John at the Embro Cemetery.

In Helen’s memory, donations may be made to the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy at www.ofcp.ca/donate/.

Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Please provide your warm thoughts and memories about Helen in the space below so they can be shared with her family.

SCOTT, Sheila Anne (formerly DUNCAN)

On Tuesday May 23, 2023, Sheila had a peaceful and dignified passing in her home, surrounded by birds, music and the love of her close family and friends.  She was in her 77th year of living life with joy and grace.

Beloved and proud mother of Julian Duncan (Jennifer) and Anne Duncan Rastogi (Ravi).  Cherished Nana of Kayla, Heather and Ethan Duncan and Simon and Maya Rastogi.  Beloved sister of Clive Scott (Elisabeth) and Keith Scott (Elizabeth) and loving aunt of Christopher Scott (Lorna), Clive Scott (Mo) and Ashley Gardiner (Luke).

Sheila was born in Falkirk, Scotland on September 6, 1946, and lived through the challenges of post-war life in Scotland as the eldest sibling.  She enjoyed a happy childhood and spoke fondly of many family holidays spent swimming in the North Sea and in the south of England.  Her parents encouraged her to be well-educated and career-oriented and introduced her to many different arts and cultures.   Sheila worked hard in school and enjoyed learning French and German during summer exchanges and work opportunities in France and Switzerland.

Sheila graduated with a diploma in Secretarial Science with a Distinction in Languages from Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland in 1966.   She enjoyed an interesting posting with the British Foreign Office in London, England and loved living with the “Putney Girls” in their London flat. She was an adventurous person and in 1965 and 1966 she travelled to Toronto, Canada for summer working holidays.  At the University of Toronto summer residence, she met her future husband, Ron Duncan and after a short time Sheila set sail for Canada to start a new married life in London, Ontario in 1969. They shared 21 years as a couple Morris dancing, Scottish Country dancing and participating in many Home County Folk Festivals and Pinewoods Dance Camps while working, raising two children and putting their love of nature into canoe trips and their cottage on Stony Lake.  Sheila and Ron parted ways in 1990 but remained amicable and shared many family events together over the years.

Sheila spent most of her career working as a Program Coordinator in Continuing Studies at Western University.  She organized many dance and cultural programs as well as large conferences and events.  She had excellent attention to special details to make the experiences effective and memorable for all.

Sheila was always “The Dancing Queen”.  She loved dancing all throughout her life participating with many different groups in London (international folk dance, historic Playford dancing, Scottish and English country dancing and Morris dancing) and she loved introducing her grandchildren to square dancing at Juniper Island on Stony Lake.  She was a gifted dance teacher and a sought-out caller for years of community dances.  She transferred this passion to her children and grandchildren through music lessons and support of their live performances.  She was also a huge lover of live theater, particularly the Stratford Festival.

Sheila was always a dedicated volunteer for many local organizations and loved to swim, cycle, walk, garden and cross-country ski.  She remained active as her dance endeavors slowed down and she found great pleasure in meeting new friends with the Thames Valley Trail Association, Nature London and the Stratford Field Naturalists.  She was always up for exploring a new ski trail in winter or a new forest path in the spring.  Summers were spent swimming and canoeing at her beloved Stony Lake.  The grandkids will always remember “tea on the dock” and many campfires and sing-a-longs by the lake with Nana.  Adults will remember “G and T’s” on the dock and leisurely swims to the Point. 

Sheila was certainly a “lover of life” and always took great interest in others sharing long phone conversations with close friends near and far.  She never missed an occasion to get together with friends or family and loved a good party.  Sheila was also a cat lover through and through and always had one or two pussy cats roaming around her house and garden.

Part of Sheila’s leukemia treatment involved frequent life-saving blood transfusions and she was very grateful to the army of blood donors.  Please consider contacting Canadian Blood Services and donating the gift of life or supporting the vital work they do with a donation.

Sheila wished to be remembered as she was in her healthy vibrant state.  Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will occur in early July 2023.  The family would like to thank the wonderful care of the outpatient and inpatient Oncology staff at the London Regional Cancer Centre. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex Inc, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

Sheila would like her family and friends to remember:

For each thorn, there’s a rosebud..

For each twilight – a dawn..

For each trial – the strength to carry on..

For each storm cloud – the sun..

For each parting – sweet memories when sorrow is done.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

BERTHELOT, Jackie (nee. Power)…

Jackie Berthelot passed peacefully on May 21st, 2023, at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario. Beloved wife of Rod Berthelot for 55 years. Loving mother of Chris of London, Shawn (Chelsey) of New Brunswick. A loving grandmother of Braeden and Killan. She is survived by her family in New Brunswick.

Jackie will be dearly missed by her friends Larry Berthelot (Heather), Jean Yves and Lise LeBlanc, Keith and Linda Tigman, and her niece Francine in London. She will also be missed by her family and friends in Ontario and New Brunswick.

The family would like to thank the staff at Westmount Dialysis, D5, E5, Victoria Hospital. A special thanks goes out to Dr. House, Dr. DeRose, and Dr. Mau for their excellent care and compassion to Jackie.

Cremation Has taken place. A memorial service will be held at a later date in New Brunswick. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex Inc. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

STEWART, William W. “Bill” …

Passed away in his 84th year on Monday, May 15th, 2023 at Westmount Gardens, London. He is survived by his loving wife Patricia (nee Knights) Stewart and their only child Janice Louise Stewart, of Dundas, his sister Ann Pickering of Chatham, sister-in-law Nancy Wilkinson (Stuart) of London and brother-in-law Bob Knights of Blenheim and several nieces and nephews.

In 1958 at the age of 18, Bill was hired by the Chatham Daily News as a Cub Reporter which led to a long career in Journalism, working briefly for the Windsor Star and moving on to the London Free Press in 1962. Within a few weeks he became a beat reporter covering agriculture and military affairs. Bill retired in 1996 from the London Free Press as a Newsroom Manager.

Bill was former kinsmen in Blenheim and London, a director of the Eastern Canadian Farm Writers Federation, a past president of the London City Press Club (1965), Vice-chairman of the London Free Press Employees Association, and a 59-year member of Blenheim Branch 185 Royal Canadian Legion. He was an avid fisherman, wood worker and gardener.

At Bill’s request there will be no visitation or funeral service. Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory can be made to a charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex Inc. 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

COTTER, Samuel…

We are absolutely heartbroken to share the news that Samuel Hamilton Cotter passed away peacefully at University Hospital in London, Ontario, surrounded by his immediate family at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon, on Saturday, April 29th, 2023 at age 89. Loving husband to Eileen Cotter, loving father to Roderick Allen Cotter (Angie), and Lora Lynne Cotter (Peter), and loving grandpa to Tristan, Brendan and Julian. Cherished Brother to the late Alice Zopf. We want to honour him, and acknowledge his substantial, and meaningful life. He was such a wonderful man, loved and respected by anyone who new him. He loved to laugh and had such a wonderful sense of humour. He was a loyal employee at CIBC for 43 years. He started as a teller at 17, worked his way up in the company, and retired as the general manager of Asia and Australia. During his career, he worked in three different Canadian provinces, as well as over seas in Trinidad, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Hong Kong. He continued to work with the Canada China business council for several years after his retirement in London Ontario. He was an avid skier in his younger years, and after breaking his leg in a ski accident, was nursed back to health by his then girlfriend, nurse Eileen. He later taught both his children to Ski, and his son even became an instructor. He witnessed his son Rod, marry his soul mate in July 1996, and bring three beautiful grandsons into world. He enjoyed watching them grow up, and spoiled them as often as he could. They will keep his legacy alive. He definitely enjoyed his retirement with many winters in Mexico with his wife. His daughter Lora was lucky to spend a lot of time with them there during her vacations over the years. They had a wonderful group of friends and had a very active social life. They were always trying to find “young people” for their daughter to relate to while she was there, but she was perfectly content hanging with them, and called them “retired teenagers”. Sam gave his family a wonderful life of travel, and adventure, as well as stability, and an abundance of love, support and devotion. He was always there for us in more ways than we can count. He made us feel safe, extremely loved, and so very special. He walked his daughter Lora down the isle as she married the love of her life in 2015. He was so very proud of his children. As he would boast, his son graduated from Western with a dual degree in Bio-Physics and Chemistry, and his daughter graduated from Queen’s University and later with a Masters in Education from Medaille College. He shared a love of music and theatre with his daughter and wife, and he introduced his daughter to musicals at a young age. He was also one of Lora’s biggest cheerleaders in pursuing her love of the arts, and went to see as many of her performances as he could.
As a family, we had a very special bond, and without him, there will be such a big hole in our lives. He did slow down in the last few years, and had some medical bumps a long the way, but he took them in stride. He would have celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary on August 4th, 2023, and his 90th birthday September 6th, 2023. As a family, we take comfort in that he lived a full and long life, and he went peacefully, on his own terms, with immediate family by his side. It will be a hard year of “firsts” without him, a long road of healing, and there will be a void where he should be for the rest of our lives, but he will be with us in spirit always. You know you’ve been loved when 89 years doesn’t feel like enough.

We love you Sam, husband, father and Grandpa. Always & forever.

Cremation has taken place and at Samuel’s wishes, no funeral service will take place. The family will have a celebration of life on a date TBD. Arrangements entrusted with Cremation London & Middlesex, 519-858-2467. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com

VALDRON, Dorothy…
On Thursday, May 4th, 2023, after a short illness in her 82nd year Dorothy Helena Valdron (nee. Smith) passed peacefully with family and friends by her side. Dorothy is predeceased by her husband, Ron Valdron (1996). Dorothy will be missed by her daughter Donna Tarr (Andy), sons Mike (Kelly), Mark (Janet), and her 7 grandchildren, Nathan, Ally, Kate, Tyler, Abby, Grace, and Lily.
Dorothy had a passion for all animals, hockey, and her grandchildren. Throughout her life she expressed creativity through crafting, sewing and beautiful stitch work.
The family would like to thank the staff at University Hospital, 4th floor, and a special thank you to the staff at Ashwood Manor for the past few years of exceptional care.
Dorothy will be cremated and laid to rest beside Ron. A celebration of life will be planned to honour Dorothy in the near future. In memory of Dorothy, donations may be made to the Human Society London & Middlesex, 624 Clarke Road, London, ON., N5V 3K5. Online condolences shared at www.cremationlondon.com