Obituaries

Born February 23, 1923 in Totnes, South Devon, England.

Pauline received much of her education in Belgium, where she excelled in music and went on to become an accomplished soloist and pianist, even receiving an invitation at one point to perform for the Queen Mother.

During WWII she drove a lorry (truck) for the army in England, and experienced, as did many, the Blitz in London, and the strafing of coastal communities by German fighters emptying their canons on their way home.

In 1948 she came to Canada on the Lusitania, arriving in Halifax at Pier 21 along with her husband and one year old son. They then travelled by train to Victoria, where for five years she sang with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, while her husband Tony joined the RCAF reserves.

Beginning in 1953, she lived in several different parts of the country as an air force wife, finally settling in Collingwood, N.S. in the early 80’s after having initially retired in England for a number of years. In Collingwood she belonged to the I.O.D.E. and U.C.W., and for close to twenty years was an active member of a musical group first known as the Happy Hooligans but subsequently called the Travelers. She regularly played at Church services, occasionally at funerals, and was well known throughout the Cumberland region.

She spent the last twenty years of her life in Dartmouth, three of those at the Oceanview Continuing Care Facility, where she passed away at the age of 99, just a month and a half short of her 100th birthday. The family would like to extend a profound thank you to the staff on Skyview for the excellent care they provided in spite of the challenges posed by Covid and staffing shortages.

Pauline was predeceased by her husband in 2016, and is survived by her son Nigel, granddaughters Nikki and Sarah, and great grandson Nathaniel.

Should anyone wish to do so, a donation could be made to Hope For Wildlife, as Pauline was keenly interested in their endeavours.