Tribute

Born on 25 November 1925, Manchester, Lancashire, England, to James Joseph and Mildred Andrews (Kearsley). Mildred is predeceased by her husband, Lorne Elwood, and son, Lorne Kearsley. Survived by children Susan Boschman (Richard), Mark Adams (Sandy) and Craig Adams; grandchildren Rick and Christine Boschman, Yolanda Kormendi (Boschman), Taylor, Nicole and Ryan Adams (Mark), Alex and Kiera Adams (Craig); and great-grandchildren.

Mildred loved playing grass hockey, trips to Blackpool, and “going to the dogs” (races) with her father, James. War meant setting aside her studies and career, so Mildred trained in the women’s ATS as a driver and interestingly, in the same unit as then Princess Elizabeth. Mildred came to Powell River after the second world war in 1947 with her husband, Lorne, a dashing young soldier serving in the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, and at the behest of Lorne’s cousin, Ann Bradley (Ken). An adventure of a lifetime for a young woman from a big city in England. To climb aboard a passenger ship full of war brides with babies in tow, land at Pier 23 in Halifax, N.S., then hop aboard a train across this immense new land called Canada. Imagine. Mildred quickly embraced the adventurous lifestyle in Powell River – raising her four children, making many good friends, enjoying the community and events, exploring the back country, camping, fishing, beach fires and picnics on the beach, boat rides over to Savary and Harwood Islands.

Mildred worked for many years in the mill offices and was a legal stenographer for the law office of Larry Eckardt. Mildred was an avid walker and fitness buff. In the 1980s, she joined and eventually became the leader of the fitness group TOPS (take off pounds sensibly) and encouraged everyone not become a “Harvey Lazybones” (Participaction). Mildred often travelled on family holidays to the Okanagan and northern interior around B.C. and across the country to visit her family, even visiting Pier 23, where she first landed in Canada. Always a voracious reader but beset by fading vision, Mildred enjoyed listening to her audiobooks on her Amazon Alexa. Recently, and impressively, able to digest complex novels of espionage, like Spymaster, and romance. Her hummingbirds. They were a constant source of fascination. Always present, dainty, nimble and efficient. Kind of like her. An adventure of a lifetime is now a reunion with her “Lorney”.

“I’m so glad we had this time together
Just to have a laugh or sing a song
Seems we just get started and before you know it
Comes the time we have to say so long…”