Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Dear George, Bonnie, Kevin, Kerry Barry, Loreen, Terry, Chereen, Cynthia and all of you who I have not had the privilege to know (but wish I had) – Kerry and Loreen’s wonderful spouses, as well as the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Thank you for that beautiful tribute to Lorna today. I am so glad I came. It was joyous, thoughtful, detailed, generous and welcoming – as she was. I could feel her in the room. For me, Lorna was a builder – a builder of family, of community, of memories, of decency, of goodness, of work ethic, of kindness, of rigor , of discipline, of loyalty, of optimism, of diligence and always always of joy and deep unwavering faith. I wanted you to know, because of what she taught me, I try very hard to build these same things. Many of these values are the touchstones that guide me. This is her legacy Her reach was huge. I am lucky and blessed because I knew her.
I am thinking of her – a lot. She was a big part of my life and shaped in no small way who I am. For many years, she was my 2nd Mum and George was my 2nd Dad. Bonnie was my best friend and Kevin, Kerry, Barry and Loreen were my extra siblings (and I already had 5!) I was raised in a D-W/Davison village – for which I am forever grateful.
My friendship with Bonnie goes back 55 +years - when Bonnie knocked on the D-W door when we had just arrived from Saskatchewan. I was 5 and new to Haney. We were a ‘liberated family’ running free and Bonnie had the neatest hair I had ever seen with bright coloured ropey ribbons tying it back. I was gobsmacked. She loudly declared “Hi I’m Bonnie. We are going to be best friends” and then she took me by the hand and guided me across the road to the blue house and attached farm. Bonnie was right. Our friendship persevered and has endured decades. Much of this, I suspect had to do with Lorna. My guess is she dispatched Bonnie to welcome the new people across the road in a neighbourly and generous fashion. Lorna opened the house, laid down the rules and then let me run. I was there, hanging with the Davison’s, for many many years. This included trampolines, hay forts, jumping from the pool into the snow and then to the sauna, squishing cow pies in bare feet, learning 4h, pioneer girls (I can still sing the song today), riding bareback, many sleepovers, playing pool in the basement, fresh bread out of the bread maker ( Lorna had a bread maker in the 70’s – I had never seen such a thing - sooo cool! ), sleeping under the stars on Gabriola, fishing, the first time I ate corn, broccoli and peas without a white sauce (the D-W’s eat way way too much white sauce), the first time I experienced Grace being said at a table, the first time I saw a calf being born, the first time I witnessed a baptism, the first time I was asked to sing in a choir, the first time I did morning Devotions and read Scripture, the first time I watched Wild Kingdom, and the World of Disney (D-W’s didn’t have a TV – so this was particularly fabulous!)…the first time for so many many things. I am lucky and I am blessed that Lorna opened the door and embraced a ragamuffin.
I am grateful for her care and for her love of me. I am celebrating her right now.
Today, it was a particularly wonderful thing to see and hug all of you . Bonnie, of course, and also Kevin, Kerry, Barry and Loreen. And you George – especially you. Thank you for being the rock star you are and for loving a beautiful woman so beautifully. We have much to learn from your example.
With love
T
