Sunday, April 20, 2025
Good afternoon, Barbara, Diane, Joan, and Bill. I saw your Mom's life story in yesterday's Globe and Mail and wanted to offer my condolences to you and your families. I never met your Mom but I heard about her on hundreds of occasions. I grew up in Niagara Falls and your grandmother Alice Killough (whom we always called "Mrs. K" because Killough was too hard to pronounce for a young boy) was our overnight baby-sitter for 12 years. When my parents moved to Ottawa, she used to travel to Ottawa to babysit my younger brother and sister. She loved to talk lovingly about your Dad and Mom and the four of you. She was very proud of all of you. Your Mom always sounded like the most amazing woman. A few years ago, you took out a beautiful wedding anniversary announcement in the Globe and Mail and it gave me an excuse to call your Dad and to send him a wedding photo of mine with Mrs. K. It was a pleasure to speak with him and to tell him in person how much his Mom meant to us. His radio-quality voice sounded as good as ever. It sounds as if your Mom and Dad had a wonderful and long life together...starting on Fourth Avenue in Niagara Falls. May her memory be a blessing and may your memories of her be as happy as my brothers and sister's are of your Mom's mother-in-law and your grandmother.
Sincerely,
John Carruthers
