Elsie Jennings
Elsie Jennings, formerly of RR2 Mountain, passed away at the Township of Osgoode Care Centre on Dec. 26, 2005. She was 92.
Elsie was born in Winchester Township on Aug. 30, 1913 to the late William Thomas and the late Margaret Black. She was predeceased by her husband Gerald (Bill) Jennings who passed away in 1980.
She was the mother of the late Glendon (Sandra) Jennings of Inkerman, Myrna (Henry) VanBeilen of Iroquois, Joan (Allen) Larmour of Mountain, and the late Melville and Malcolm Jennings. She was grandmother to Darlene (Andy) Wattie, Dawn (Allan) Dumoulin, Kim (Jeff) Ferguson, Kevin VanBeilen, Linda (Aaron) Fawcett, Jennifer Larmour (Mike Sharpley), and Joanna Larmour (Shawn Toll) and great-grandmother to Cassidy Wattie; Clay, Connor, Devon, and Mackenzie Dumoulin; and Travis and Michelle Ferguson. She was the sister of Maude Shepherd (late Roy) and predeceased by Alton Thomas. She was aunt of many nieces and nephews. She was the special family friend of Kenneth Baker.
Elsie worked hard all her life, running the family farm (while Bill worked at Ault's as an engineer), looking after children, her own, and all the others she "took in." She also worked at Docksteaders Restaurant, cooking, cleaning and whatever needed to be done.
In 1964, at the request of Dr. Byers, she opened her home and heart to seniors who needed some tender loving care. This was the beginning of the Jennings Friendship Circle. A lot of residents came and went over the years, enjoying her home cooked meals, the home-like atmosphere she created, and receiving any type of care they required. Elsie continued this until 1996 when at the age of 83 she retired. She lived quietly at home, working her large garden and puttering around in her flower beds, with the help of Kenny who had lived with the family most of his life.
Sadly, at the age of 90, she was unable to stay at home any longer, so she moved into the Township of Osgoode Care Centre, where she lived for the next 2 1/2 years.
She was a strong-willed, grand lady who left a legacy that we all are very proud of, and hopefully, all the lives that she touched she left her mark. She was a member of the United church.
The funeral was held in the chapel of the Byers Funeral Home in South Mountain on Dec. 29 with Rev. Melany Cassidy-Wise officiating. Interment was at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Chesterville.
Pallbearers were Aaron Fawcett, Kevin VanBeilen, Travis Ferguson, Greg Holmes, and Gordon and Douglas Shepherd. Honorary pallbearers were John Spruit, Lyall Holmes, and Sidney Armstrong.