Ann Harris

Ann was born into a loving, tight-knit family which was deeply involved with the Baptist church and in which she never felt anything but loved and cherished.

What a shock, then, when she was twenty years old, to be given twenty minutes to decide whether she would emigrate to Canada with her fiancé,Ken, who had been offered a transfer by his employer to a job in Montreal! She said “yes” in less time having been assured that they did indeed have steaks in Canada.

On November 14th 1962, having got married and spent two weeks honeymoon in Tangier, Ann boarded the RMS Carinthia for the transatlantic journey. The North Atlantic in late November is a rough place, and she was sea-sick for six days. On the seventh day she walked into Dinty Moore’s Steakhouse on Ste.Catherine’s Street and pronounced herself happy with the T-Bone steak she enjoyed there.

Ann entered enthusiastically into the life of the Westmount Baptist Church, joining the choir and the young wive’s group, making a circle of friends. She never wavered in her commitment to her new life and country, despite the crushing waves of homesickness and separation from family. There is no doubt that this experience was much harder on her than on Ken, who was able to engage with people at work.

Ann found ways to fill her time productively as she went through successive moves from Montreal to Toronto, back to Montreal again and finally back to Toronto. She joined the volunteers at Mississauga Hospital, initially in Patient Transportation, but for several years as a Palliative Care Counsellor being assigned one-on-one relationships with patients and their families. It didn’t happen often, but she responded 24/7to crisis calls for support and help.

Ann’s love of animals led her into becoming a dog-therapy volunteer with Therapeutic Paws of Canada where for ten years she went with Cato, her Golden Doodle to visit with elderly residents at a nursing home in Brampton, and to Exteendicare in Georgetown.

Along the way she found time to bear three children, Marcelle, Yvette and Brett and through them acquired grandchildren and great grandchildren, both two-legged and furry.

For over 20 years Ann’s membership of St. John’s United Church and its choir has been a source of satisfaction and joy, with wonderful memories of musical and social events pre-Covid.

The last couple of years have been challenging with ill-health but Ann has unfailingly loved and supported her family, and now is in the hands of God, in whom she steadfastly believed.

To honour Ann's memory, please consider a memorial contribution to the Georgetown Hospital, or to the Bennett Healthcare Centre (Bennett Village).