Chamberlin - Audrey (Gillis), born February 7, 1910, at VanAnda, Texada Island, BC, died peacefully at Eagleview Extended Care, St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital, COMOX, BC on March 16, 2005.
Audrey was predeceased by her parents, William Gillis of Kinross, PEI, and Alfretta Martin of Smithsport, Pennsylvania, two sisters: Beryle and Elsie, a brother William, and by her husband Douglas. Douglas, a descendant of W.George Gibson the founder of Gibson鈥檚 Landing, BC, passed away in 1983 a few months short of their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Audrey is survived by her five children - Keith (Sandra) of Royston; Ardythe (Dale Crawford) of Courtenay; Earle (Wendy) of White Rock; Roger of Sandspit; Kenneth (Marlise) of Burnaby; and their families. Audrey had ten grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and nieces and nephews in abundance.
Audrey was a long-time telephone operator in BC and was a charter member of the Arbutus Council, Telephone Pioneers in Nanaimo, and of the Tyee Club of Campbell River. She was awarded the Betty Williams Award as Pioneer of the Year in 1992. A long-time member of CoVal Choristers (from 1958), Audrey enjoyed the comradeship, singing, dancing, acting, and finally the box office for this organization. She was a past member of the Comox United Church Ladies Evening Circle and enjoyed a long friendship with its members. Audrey was a member of and past president for the Trefoil Guild, Girl Guides of Canada, Comox Valley Division. She also tested Brownies for their Friends-to-Birds badge for many years. It was difficult to know who enjoyed this more, the Brownies or Audrey! She was a member of the Evergreen Seniors and loved to travel with them. Audrey was an avid correspondent and really worked her Electronic typewriter! We ALMOST got her into the Computer age. She resisted until the day her daughter found the write-up of Audrey鈥檚 parents鈥� wedding in a Dawson, Yukon Newspaper of 1901! From that day on the two of them spent hours searching out family history.
Thanks MUST go to the caring staff of Eagleview Extended Care Unit, Audrey was resident almost six years and received the very best of care and attention.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Audrey鈥檚 memory to Eagleview ECU, to YANA, or to the Charity of your choice.
Cremation and arrangements by Piercy鈥檚 - Mt. Washington Funeral Home, 440 England Avenue, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 2N1.
Following Mom鈥檚 wishes, a warmer weather memorial is planned in conjunction with a family reunion. This is tentatively set for June 4th, 2005 weekend.