Today is Sunday, April 19, 2020
Tomorrow Hudson Marshall celebrates his 10th Birthday.
And Vimy will blow out 3 candles on Friday!!!
Happy Birthday to both these handsome boys!!
So very much to report…
Last week, April 5-11 was week 6, but NO new missionaries arrived. Thursday night we were thrilled to hold a zoom testimony meeting with our departing group of twenty one, and although we would have loved to have hosted our traditional farewell supper, temple session and testimony meeting, we were so grateful to at least have ‘virtually’ spent that precious evening together. We are determined to have regular Mission Reunions to stay in contact with our precious missionaries, and in fact have told them we will have reunions in Southern Alberta, Utah, as well as France, and they can attend all three if they choose!! Oh how we love our missionaries!!
Self-isolation is a challenge for everyone, and we are not immune to the challenges of COVID 19…BUT we are excited with the amazing new initiatives our Area Presidency together with the missionary department have rolled out. Every Tuesday evening we have a zoom area training where we are instructed on new contacting methods. The most exciting is the ‘Facebook’ initiative where three teams (companionships) have been called to work together creating Zone Facebook pages. Everyday - three times a day creative new gospel posts are added to the zone Facebook pages. Satellite Missions have been doing this for over a year, and the success has been incredible. Rather than reaching say one family when knocking, hundreds of friends can be found by simply posting an inspirational message. We are so excited with the prospects of ‘finding’ so many new people, this new way!! AND this new initiative will not end when COVID does…we will continue to Facebook find, and are so thrilled we have so many missionaries that are whizzes with technology!! When we were being trained….they had images of the pioneers, and said exactly that…we are the pioneers with missionary work and technology!!
Emotionally, our missionaries are stable, and thriving!!!! In fact our mission nurse only reported one medical issue last week!!! Let me tell you about that!!
Last Saturday, April 11th was a calm, spring day here in Montreal, and I was itching to get out and do a bit of yard clean up. With rake in hand I determined to power rake our big front lawn. Let me preface this to remind you that we do a lot of sitting around…meeting, after meeting after another meeting!! It was my dream to work hard…to see if I still had it in me!! Three hours of raking and lawn started looking green, and cute little star burst white and blue miniature flowers popped up to say hello!! Anyway, I felt so satisfied, and so happy being outdoors. Families were bike-riding, and walking and although we were social distancing it just seemed like we were united being outside enjoying SPRING!!
Sunday we enjoyed Sacrament Meeting, and then prerecorded our Sunday evening devotional. Good thing we did that because right around 5pm, I started having some nasty back pain, which we attributed to all the Saturday ‘power-raking.’ Pain intensified, and Richard suggested several times we head to the Jewish General Hospital, which I refused. Hearing stories of missionaries waiting 24 hours just to be seen, and then thinking about the ‘virus’ lurking around, I had no desire to moan and groan in a hospital. Being at home and being able to lie on our floor or bed with Richard being my nursemaid made much better sense than the alternative. I flailed around …getting no relief…Advil or Tylenol wouldn’t stay down…the constant pain in my back, as well as a familiar pain in my right lower tummy made me suggest that perhaps I was dealing with a kidney infection, or kidney stone. Richard brought ice packs, the heating pad, garbage bucket, gravol, advil, and Tylenol, but the pain didn't subside, until just after midnight when I found a sort of comfortable sleeping position. The blessing and prayers truly were answered, and I slept soundly, and comfortably until about eight Monday morning. Worried that the pain would return I didn’t attend our office meetings, and spent the day in bed resting and reading, and talking to my Mom who was in bed too Just before Richard returned home from the Office….I passed a kidney stone…a doozer of a boulder! I will send it home so Megan can add it to my pill bottle collection of stones collected by Dr. Taylor when he surgically removed them. Never had that kind of physical pain, and am so glad it didn’t go on for days! Also I’m so glad I can still put a good hard day of physical work, and not have a sore back! All that raking did probably dislodge the stone, so although it was an ordeal getting rid of it….at least it is gone now!
Now.. you know the only medical issue we had to report on….oh brother!!!
And now…today is Friday, April 24th, and it is Vimy’s 3rd Birthday!!
What a darling little boy!!
This blog is going to get posted by hook or by crook…..sorry to leave you hanging….
After leaving Lethbridge March 26th, and returning to Montreal, Mom seemed to get weaker and weaker almost by the minute. She was admitted to St. Michael’s Palliative Care Unit, April 2, the day before her 88th Birthday. I was so grateful to have had those few days at home with her. We talked, and talked…mostly I talked, and cried… she was supposed to get better, and come to visit us here, like she had in Nova Scotia.. Her stay at the Palliative Care Unit was too brief, and last Sunday, April 19, only 17 days after she had been admitted, just around 8:30pm she quietly passed. We have never been as grateful for technology … and I was so grateful for my sweet sister, and brothers who included me, by face timing with Mom as often as I wanted. It wasn’t as good as really being there holding her hands, or rubbing her feet or her little bald head with cream, but, I could see her, and I could talk to her. Even when she wasn’t responding, we knew she could hear.. Her virtual funeral Wednesday morning at 10 Alberta time, was lovely, and such a lovely tribute to her. I will include her obituary along with my tribute to her, here.
HAMILTON
PATRICIA MAUDE McCORMACK
Beloved sweetheart and eternal companion of Robert Anderson Hamilton who predeceased her March 20, 2015; sister of Nancy Schaalje, and angel mother of Gayle (Richard Low), Robert (Patricia), Janice (D’Arcey West), Jeffrey (Donna), and Brent (Celeste), grandmother of 24, and great grandmother of 51, passed away peacefully Sunday, April 19, 2020 at the age of 88.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, April 3, 1932, the third of five daughters born to William White McCormack, and Maude Watts Gibson Morrow. Predeceased by her parents, and sisters Mary (Allen Hicks), Kathleen, and Alice (Don Crawford.)
Mom’s childhood was delightful, her tales of summers at their Lake Simcoe cottage were magical; and we loved hearing about her Dad meeting WW II servicemen on the subway, and bringing them home for a home cooked meal. Those men remained friends long after the war. Family homes on Manor Road and Castlefield in Toronto etched in her mind happy memories of
working together, gardening, cooking, and cleaning; and playing together at the Allenby School playground, or skating on a neighbourhood rink.
Her introduction, and conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1950, brought much joy, peace, and hope for 70 years, and her testimony of the wonderful Plan of Happiness which she loved, has strengthened all her posterity.
Meeting the dashingly handsome 26 year old Robert Hamilton of Magrath, on February 1,1953, began a 62 year courtship!!…engaged the 21 March, and married in the Cardston Alberta Temple, 25 June 1953. Newlyweds moved to Picture Butte where Dad was employed by the Canadian Sugar Factory. Winters were spent in Logan while Dad attended Utah State University. Mom loved the adventure and while living on a dime, sewed, cooked and canned to support the little family, which had grown quickly…Gayle was born in 1954, Bob in 1955 and Janice arrived in 1957. 1961 we returned to Lethbridge to 3510 - 10 Ave A, our new home in the cul-de-sac where we all - but especially Mom, loved the neighbourhood full of instant best friends. Those friends then, are still friends today. Jeff was born in August of 1961, and Brent arrived in June of 1963. Our family was complete! Mom was a master at coordinating piano, accordion, trumpet lessons, as well as homework, newspaper routes, cubs, scouts, Church activities, and always had delicious, and nutritious meals prepared for the hungry mouths to feed!
Mom was passionate about: keeping a monthly balanced chequebook, the WordSearch, checking the Obituaries, getting her Income Tax completed almost the day the forms were available, a spitspot home, singing birthday telegrams to friends and family members, stunning views of sunrises, sunsets, ocean vistas, walking around Fairmont Lake or Henderson Lake, road trips anywhere, travel to distant places, and her most favourite of all were family gatherings - pool parties in the backyard, picnics, or gatherings at the West’s ranch; she loved watching the visiting, the singing and the laughing. Her Testimony of Jesus Christ and her sure knowledge that ‘Families can be Together Forever’ sustained her after our Dad passed.
Hallmarks of her 88 years can be summed up in three simple words, Family, Faith and Friendship.
As a family we thank you for the many genuine expressions of support and sympathy we have received.
Funeral Service will be held Wednesday, April 22, 2020, and can be viewed on line……
Interment in the Magrath Cemetery
Generations…..etc.
A Tribute to my Mother
Patricia Maude McCormack Hamilton
“Look at the View”
22 April 2020
I had the most wonderful childhood where I was loved, and taught from a young age to
‘Look at the View.’
‘Look at the View.’
Being born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, and spending most of her childhood summers at the McCormack family cottage at Lake Simcoe, Mom always appreciated a beautiful, breathtaking ‘view.’
Some of her favourite things to view included;
lovely verdant green forests, lakes with sandy beaches,
big blue skies, rainy, cloudy or snowy days,
sunrises and sunsets,
golden wheat fields,
Pacific and Atlantic ocean vistas,
plump raspberries on a heavy laden raspberry cane,
and carefully groomed flower and vegetable gardens.
Her most favourite view though was seeing her dear family; children, 24 grandchildren, and 51 great grandchildren gathering round, visiting, laughing and just being together.
This is a little trip down my memory lane as I pay tribute..to my Mom.
I always thought I had the most beautiful Mother, with perfect teeth, and a gorgeous smile! She was a classy Eastern Canadian belle, and took pride in her appearance. Dad loved the ‘view’ when he had her on his arm. As children, she took pride in our appearances as well; we were always well-groomed, even in hand me down Hicks cousins clothes!! I adored the three lavender floral chintz matching Easter dresses she made while we lived in Picture Butte!! Seeing that old family photo makes me smile again!! Many more adorable frocks for both Janice and I were created by her able hands.
Attending school in Logan, Utah opened my eyes to life in the United States of America. I was so excited to celebrate my seventh birthday and take homemade cupcakes to my Grade One class friends. Mom knew that was important for me to say goodbye to those friends, before moving back to Canada. I was so appreciative of her doing that. I must add that having that year in Logan, living in the old Victorian mansion funeral home was such an adventure. I loved swinging from the big old weeping willows, wading in the ditches with wild mint growing along the side (which I think I can smell right now), and I loved the view we had of the Logan Temple. When Nancy and John were sealed there in the summer of 1989, my dream of going inside came true. And now when new missionaries arrive from Cache Valley….I love telling them my Logan memories!!
Returning to our new home in Lethbridge, and beginning Grade two at Lakeview I met many new friends, and when my eighth birthday rolled around, I had a list of friends to invite to my party. This year - 1962, Mom taught me one of the most powerful lessons I think I have ever learned on Christlike charity. Monica, a little girl in my class, was from a poverty stricken family, and lived in a shack outside the city, with no indoor plumbing…way past Marty’s asparagus farm. Mom encouraged me to invite her to my party… Monica walked home from school with me, and with the party not starting for an hour or so, there was time for Mom to help Monica have a warm bubblebath, get her hair curled, and put on some of my clean clothes. We would never think of doing something like that now….but seriously I can’t think of another more profound lesson on the Christlike attribute of Charity than that. What a gift to learn at my mother’s knee when I was just eight, almost fifty-eight years ago, how to keep my baptismal covenant by unconditionally loving my fellowmen, by learning to view others as the Saviour sees them. If I had to pick the most invaluable lesson learned from my Mom it would be this one.
Most summers we journeyed to Ontario to visit with our McCormack relatives, and the three or four day trip from Alberta to Haliburton, we heard the admonition ‘Look at the View’ repeatedly! Indeed there were spectacular vistas especially as we headed east, and when we crossed the Ontario border; Lake of the Woods, Lake Superior, the Big Nickel in Sudbury, the Sault Ste. Marie locks, and about a million lakes in between brought gasps of excitement: ‘Kid’s, Look at the View!!’ An eternal optimist Mom was!!She looked for beauty everywhere she went….in ALL people, places and things!! I will always be grateful to mom for that quiet teaching.
In 1969, my Grade nine graduation happened to be the exact day Grandpa McCormack’s funeral was, but before she flew to Ontario, she finished sewing my darling purple dotted swiss graduation dress, and made an appointment to have my hair done at the place on South Parkside drive right behind Brad’s Dental Office!
Fast forward seven years, 1976, to another tender story I love to remember. Living in Edmonton, finishing at the UofA, and also graduating from Institute where Colour Night, the culminating gala affair was being held. Several days before the big event, Agnes Davidson who had come to Edmonton to see Julie, delivered to me a surprise package from my Mom!! I was thrilled to find a beautiful, sewn formal dress!! Cream coloured fabric with big blue whimsical flowers (that someday I’ll paint!!)and a trendy gunny sack style with huge puffed sleeves, an 18” ruffle, and a wonderful sash!! Oh how I loved that dress, but mostly I loved the seamstress that created it!! My Mom!!
She knew I needed a pick me up, and knew that a new dress would do that….and… actually Richard - who had another girl on his arm that night….did look at the view..and started reconsidering!!
(I must add that this treasured dress still hangs at the back of my closet reminding me of of my Mom!!!…oh..I am so sentimental!!)
Mom’s morning routine for as long as I can remember was reading the Lethbridge Herald, checking the Obituaries, doing the word search, and enjoying a bowl of homemade granola with a dob of peanut butter on top. Occasionally she would add Cheerios and Shreddies!! She was a creature of habit..when it was autumn she had her snow tires put on, and when the last snow was gone…the snow tires came off. Religiously she balanced her chequebook. In March when I was home, with Bob’s help it was balanced one last time! The 44 years they lived at 3510, she monthly graphed their utility bills, gas, electricity and city! ..she was the queen of budgeting, and knew where all their money, and investments were. She was never extravagant, but did love the finer things of life. Her view of what the future would hold kept her planning.
Mom’s love of family, her love of travel, and hearing stories of our adventures; she encouraged us to report on our journeys, through emails… and…thus my writing began. She was such an appreciative letter receiver, and knowing how she so looked forward to daily reports was all I needed to keep writing!! It was such a simple way to share our many ‘views’ of the world that we were experiencing! I like to think I inherited my love of writing from both my parents….Dad was the master writer, and Mom was the cheerleader extraordinaire!! I was so grateful for her encouragement and for believing in me!!
Speaking of cheerleading reminds me of both hers and Dads faithful support of every activity their grandchildren were participating in; soccer, football, volleyball, basketball, rugby, swimming, choir or band concerts. She and I even travelled to Ottawa to watch Megan’s choir participate in the Music Canada competition! And for about three years most winter Saturday nights we joined her cheering for her adult grandsons as they played competitive indoor soccer. Oh how she loved that! Actually she might get a bit miffed if she wasn’t informed about the start time of the game!! She loved the view of her posterity performing on the stage or on the playing field!!
Mom loved being a Canadian. She loved singing O Canada, and she loved our Canadian flag. Every year on Canada Day their beautiful crisp red and white maple leaf flag was proudly hung. If ever her view revealed a tattered flag, she felt it her responsibility to call the business, or Church to point out the condition of their flag, and encourage them to replace it with a new one. She has passed the flag torch on to all of us now!!
This tribute would not be complete without mention of her quiet, thoughtful ministering. Bob quipped that she invented ministering!! Her kind, gentle heart inspired me as she delivered muffins, warm bread, lemon loaf, banana bread, cookies, and even bouquets of freshly cut fragrant sweet peas to folks who needed cheering up!
Even;… no, especially to people who might have had different life styles…For the five years since Dad has been gone, Mom continued delivering warm loaves of delicious white bread to folks he had home taught. Amazing!! Such quiet Christlike service, that through her example, all our lives have been blessed. Mom had a view of how Christlike service could bless others lives as well as her own….and it did.
Her friendly, warm personality endeared her to neighbours everywhere; Picture Butte, Logan, 3510 -10th Avenue A., and most recently at #104, 3045 in Fairmont. Her nonjudgmental acceptance of everyone, her loving view of people was a gift, and I am so grateful to have watched her in action show Christlike charity to everyone… She even gave Dad ‘his’ ministering marching orders, and through the winter with his snow shovel in the trunk, he was always ready to head to Eva Salmon’s, Dixie Pratt’s, or Dean and Effie Bennett’s to clear their driveways and sidewalks. What a beautiful ministering legacy for us each to remember. Mom’s absolutely full address book is such an example of the power of lasting friendships. With Dad’s frequent repeating of the “The Making of Friends” by Edgar A Guest poem, she learned it as well, and was happy to repeat it to us just a few weeks ago. Thank you to all of you in zoom land for being such true blue friends to her, and to us!!
Mom loved attending Funerals. She loved hearing stories of her friends lives; sometimes she would squirm, and think she would never be good enough, but always she was inspired, and motivated to try harder to be better. We all thought she was pretty perfect. The refining power of the Atonement worked in her, as it can work in each of us. Since Dad passed, and as she has prepared to leave this mortal existence, we saw a visible refinement in her. Valiantly she faced her chemo, but her physical body weakened with each treatment. Although her body slowly gave out, we loved the miracle that evolved in her spirit. Her spirit was strong, and she was so very gracious, and grateful. She expressed over and over again how much she loved each of us. Our view of our dear Mom was becoming clearer, and clearer.
Her devotion and love of Dad inspired me to seek for a man just like my Dad, and I found him!! I loved how she was thrilled when Dad arrived home from work. I loved her teary expressions as she read his beautiful poems written just for her. I loved how she smiled when he would bring a bouquet of flowers he had just picked…and say ‘Everyday I bring thee.’ As a child, I loved watching her prepare, and iron her temple clothes and head with Dad to Cardston; and years later as they served in the Temple I thrilled to see them serve together. I hope we get that opportunity. In the Temple we get the eternal ‘view’ of life. We learn about the beautiful ‘Plan of Happiness,’ why we are here, what we need to do while we are here to prepare us for where we are going next. She had done all of this, and now, we know she is hand in hand with her eternal sweetheart, our Dad, on their beautiful consecrated covenant path looking at the panoramic ‘View.’
We all can hear her saying to Dad …
‘LOOK AT THE VIEW.’
In June 2018, when we began our Mission, I was encouraged by family members, especially my dear Mom to record experiences. Thus 'Gayle's Good Tidings' blog began, and in my Mom's honour I will continue to write...maybe someday she will want to read the rest of the record!! I will dedicate it to her...
and now...
We send this lengthy report to you with much love, and gratitude for your love and prayers....
and now...
We send this lengthy report to you with much love, and gratitude for your love and prayers....
Richard and Gayle, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma xoxoxoxoxo CTR
Keep Smiling!!!
