Jean Heagy

Bryan and I met Sylvia’s Gramma Jean at her( Sylvia and Steve’s) wedding. She was such a gently lady with a mischevious spark in her eyes.She played crokinole with everyone. She was a lovely lady.

Three strands of thought interweave my memories of Mrs. Heagy, as I knew her. One is her familiar place in the landscape of my childhood neighbourhood in the north end of London where Huron Street intersects with Brough and Wellington. A young teenager then, I was also very familiar with one or other of her brood of children’s exploits and accolades. Sometimes, it was an early morning glimpse from our living room window or quickly clearing a speedy peddler’s bicycle path that drew my attention to their presence; others, occasions of simply passing one another in the hallway where we attended school.

Later on, our lives often intersected, for example, with the regular appearance of Dr. and Mrs. Heagy to ferry my mother, Edith Durrant, to church each week. For a short time, they served as elders together at Metropolitan United. I am especially grateful for their generous support when her health began to fail and I began the challenging task of balancing home- and work-life in Toronto with my expanding role as caregiver in London. The Heagys often checked in on my mother – a friendly visit to her – then brought me up to speed with a quick telephone call.

In the last strand, memories of my young daughters telling of their adventures making jam or jelly with Mrs. Heagy are mixed with more recently told stories from their own adolescence of times where, for example, she patiently and thoroughly taught the art of taking freshly caught lake fish, purchased that day from a Southampton trawler, to the dinner table. She will be missed.

She is warmly remembered as (step)grandparent to Jennifer and Emily, as thoughtful friend and neighbour to Edith Durrant, and as a dedicated, charitable person to many.

This message is for Jean’s sister Irene.
Irene, I’d like to express my sympathy to you and your family in the loss of your sister Jean. When I saw the obit in the paper today, my mind went back to many, many years ago when you and my sister Gilda Richards were teenage friends. I remember when you went to the Niagara region with Harvey Macklin to pick peaches and other stories my sister told me of your good times together. Please accept my condolences and may you be left with many happy memories of family life.

Eleanor,
I am sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts.

I am writing to express condolences for the passing of your mother last week. How fondly I recall the yearly New Year’s celebrations at your house where we had the smallest family present (an unusual event for us)! I remember years at Metropolitan together, bird watching, and many other shared events with your family, as well as your mother’s very kind support of our family when Dad died two years ago. My best to your entire family.