COLBY, Grace Alice Wickenden. 1922-2006 Died peacefully November 27,2006. Cherished wife of John H.E. Colby and dear mother of GlennCranker (Maria), Judith MacPherson, and Nancy Cranker. Grandmother ofAlice (Mark Crow) and Bobby Cranker, Christopher and MatthewMacPherson. Married to John Colby in 1976, Grace also leaves behind alarge extended family. John's daughters: Jocelyn St. Pierre (JeanPaul) and their children Ruth Lehrer, Tracey Lessard (Matthew), Jeffand Steve St. Pierre (Samantha) and daughter Jennifer Holzgang (Alec)and their children Brenda Taylor (Roy), Erica Beghuin (Albert),Monica, Becky Gutierrez (Fernando), Laura, and Philip; and severalgreat-grandchildren. Grace was devoted to her husband and her family.She lit up the lives of those around her with her vibrant personalityand charming intelligent wit. Grace loved painting, particularly withher good friends of The Hingston Art Group, who she met with weeklyfor almost thirty years. Family members enjoyed Grace's artwork ofportraits and nature scenes, many of which celebrated the Laurentianswhere Grace spent childhood summers and the Eastern Townships whereGrace lived most recently. Grace enjoyed her final days doing what sheloved the most: gardening, taking care of her cats and sharing timewith John, family and friends. A private memorial service will be heldat a later date. Much appreciation goes to Dr. William Barakett andthe staff of the Brome Missisquoi Perkins Hospital for making Grace'slast days as comfortable as possible.
Published in the Montreal Gazette on 11/29/2006.Grace Colby
June 9, 1922 - November 27, 2006Love of art, literature, and the beauties of nature came to GraceAlice Wickenden Colby as a birthright. Her paternal grandfather,Robert J. Wickenden (1861-1931), was a late-Romantic artist whosecareer spanned England, France, Canada, and the United States; he alsoenjoyed writing articles and poems. Her father, Alfred Ahier Wickenden(1886-1972), after taking his degree in civil engineering at ColumbiaUniversity, returned to Canada to become a specialist in land andforest management. He published volumes of poetry in French, which hehad leamt as a child, as well as in English. Grace's mother, HelenSlack (1887-1975), a graduate of Wellesley College and the New YorkSchool of Fine and Applied Art, was a successful artist and artlecturer. As an author she earned some national recognition for herpoetry.
Fate dealt Alfred and Helen's household hard blows. Of Grace's twobrothers, the younger, Jackie, fell victim to illness while still inchildhood; the elder. Buddy, serving with the United States army inEurope during the Second World War, was reported missing in action inDecember 1944. Tragically, Helen was never able to accept the realityof Buddy's loss. Grace was left as her parents' sole surviving child.
After attending McGill University for a year, she went on to completeher bachelor's degree at Middlebury College in Vermont in 1944. Inthe same year she married Keith Cranker, an industrial chemist. Oftheir three children, Glenn practises law in Montreal; Judy(MacPherson) teaches school in Vancouver; and Nancy is the proprietorof an antique shop in Norwood, Massachusetts. Grace is also survivedby Glenn's children, Alice (Crow) and Robert Cranker, and Judy'schildren, Christopher and Matthew MacPherson.
Grace's first marriage was dissolved in 1974, when she returned toMontreal to help look after her mother. There she met, and in 1976married, John H. E. Colby, to the deep and lasting happiness of themboth.
One of Grace's great pleasures in life was her family's old secludedlog cabin at Petit Lac Noir, which she continued to visit fromMontreal and Knowlton as often as possible. She practised as well asappreciated art, attending classes in Montreal almost to the end; hermany paintings capture vivid glimpses of the land and life around her.A succession of fortunate cats, each with a markedly individualpersonality, benefited from her enjoyment of feline company.
In 2001 Grace and John retired to "Sunnylea" in Knowlton, where sheendowed the spacious, picturesque Victorian structure with her ownspecial warm and welcoming character, while its garden flourishedin-response- to her love of growing and arranging flowers.
Grace was notable for her buoyant humour, her artistic flair, and herlively intellectual and cultural interests. She combined with atemperament inclined to firm determination, a warmth of heart andgenerosity of spirit that brightened the lives of many. Her unfailingresilience in the face of adversity was complemented by anappreciation to the full of the good things life brought her way. Hermemory will be cherished.
(memorial from family)
Colby, John Henry Ernest
OBITUARY JOHN HENRY ERNEST COLBY Peacefully on October 23, 2009 inKnowlton, Quebec in his ninety-third year. Predeceased by his wifeGrace Wickenden. Survived by his loving daughters Jocelyn (J. P. St.Pierre) and Jennifer (Alec Holzgang), stepson Glenn Cranker (Maria),Judith Cranker MacPherson, and Nancy Cranker. Loving grandfather toTracey Lessard (Matt), Ruth Stanton (Brad), Jeff St. Pierre (Leah) andSteven St. Pierre (Samantha); Brenda, Eric, Monica (Fernando),Rebecca, Laura and Philip Holzgang; Alice and Bobby Cranker, Chris andMatt MacPherson and many great-grandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren. John will be most fondly remembered by his firstwife June, his special cousins, Charles, Robert (Gretchen) and Edward(Sara) Colby, Mary Aikins (Allen Slade) and his godson Michael Martin(Judy). John met his first wife June in Scotland while serving on loanwith the Royal Navy during WWII. After the war he completed his lawdegree at McGill and practiced law at the firm which still bears hisname, Colby Monet Demers Delage & Crevier. John served for many yearson the Council of Trustees of Stanstead College as a director andchairman, created and helped fund a deserving student scholarship andworked tirelessly in fundraising campaigns, for which he received theTrustees Award of Merit. He also supported the Stanstead HistoricalSociety and the Brome Lake Land Foundation. Many thanks to the kindand attentive staff at Manoir Lac Brome in Knowlton. Funeral will beheld at 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at the Centenary UnitedChurch, 479 Dufferin Street, Stanstead Quebec. In lieu of flowers,donations to the Stanstead Historical Society (the Colby-CurtisMuseum, John's home where he was born), the Red & White EducationalFoundation of Stanstead College or the BMP Foundation of the BromeMissisquoi Perkins Hospital would be greatly appreciated. Published inthe Montreal Gazette on 10/28/2009
Known as "Slats" [Jean Wickenden]
130. Jocelyn* Anne (Lynn) Wickenden
OBITUARY LYNN WATSON (nee WICKENDEN) It is with love and sadness thatwe announce the death of Lynn - Jocelyn to her brother and sisters -on June 1, 2011. Born on May 25, 1928, Lynn was predeceased by herbeloved son Dougie, and her sister Jean. She leaves her husband of 57years, Jim, her cherished children, Ken (Pat), and Mary, her brotherJohn (Bonnie), sisters Martha (Jim), Harriet (Roy), Alice, and manynieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. Mum lived for her family,but she was also an unparalleled friend. With her irrepressible senseof fun, her love of laughter and music, her generosity and warmth, shemade a difference to so many lives. We will all miss her. A memorialservice will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 2 p.m. at St. Johnthe Baptist Anglican Church, 233 Ste-Claire Avenue, Pointe Claire,followed by a reception at the church. In lieu of flowers, pleaseconsider a donation to the Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation (http://www.lakeshorefoundation.ca/ ) or a charity of your choice.[Montreal Gazette and Ottawa Citizen, June 3 and 4, 2011]
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Lynn was born on May 25, 1928 to Jean (John) François Wickenden andCatherine (Annie) Eliza French and named Jocelyn Anne. She was the2nd child in a family that eventually included 5 daughters (Jean,Jocelyn, Martha, Harriet and Alice) and one son (John). She grew upin Three Rivers in a house that she remembered and loved for the restof her life.
After attending Stanstead College in the Eastern Townships, Lynn beganteaching in Lachute, where she met a dashing young ex-RCAF pilot,James K. Watson. Married on September 19, 1953, they made their homein Hawkesbury, Ontario, and had three children: Ken (1954), Dougie(1956) and Mary (1961). Tragically, Dougie drowned in 1959.
In 1965, Jim was transferred to Montreal and the Watson family movedto Pointe Claire where Lynn made many lifelong friends. As music hadalways been a love in her life, she joined Sweet Adelines and sangbass with them for many years. Lynn also became a parishoner at St.John the Baptist Anglican Church and became very involved in manyparish activities.
Early in 1959, Lynn and Jim bought a piece of property on Lac desSucreries in the Laurentians. Going up to “Camp” became a family love.Summer and winter, many weekends and holidays were spent there overthe ensuing decades, both as a family, and with many friends. For along time, Mum did all the cooking on a woodstove – and turned outmany fantastic meals that family and many friends remember fondly.They were very happy years.
By the early ‘80s, Ken and Mary had both left home, and life began tosettle into a slightly altered pattern. Ken married Pat, and moved tothe Yukon, and Mary moved to Edmonton, and then to Jasper. Mum begantaking trips to see them – sometimes with Dad – sometimes on her own.When Ken and Pat moved first to Timmins and then to Elgin, Ontario,Mum didn’t have quite so far to go to see them, but then Mary moved toVictoria, and Mum started to spend a couple of winter months there.When Mary’s job took her to Ucluelet, on Vancouver Island’s westcoast, Mum enjoyed a visit there too. She was never happier than withher children.
Latterly, as Mum’s health began to decline, she was unable to travelas she had. Ken made monthly trips from Elgin to see both parents, andMary came home for extended trips at Christmas and in the summer.These visits were always a joy for Mum. Last fall, Mum moved into anassisted care home in Pointe Claire where she remained connected tofamily and her lifelong friends, but also found friends in her newcommunity. It was a whole new lease of life for her, and her lastmonths were very happy. On April 14th, taking ill, she went into theLakeshore General Hospital. She rallied briefly, and we were able toenjoy further visits with her, and more laughs and stories. The windowwas brief however, and after a further decline, she died peacefully inthe early hours of June 1st, 2011.