Leamy (née Snape), Alison Mary Agnes died peacefully at home, September 16, 2023. Predeceased by her husband Jim in 2014, Alison is survived by her children Michael, Sheila (Don) and Cameron (Diwana); grandchildren Justin (Jenny), Simon (Courteny), Stuart, Robin (Adam) and Tristan (Jen); Great grandchildren Jacob, Sophia and Sidney.
Alison was born at home on October 16, 1932 in Victoria, BC. She attended Alice Carr’s School and St. Margaret’s School. Alison’s mother, Ruby, bred Irish Setters and later Pembroke Welsh Corgis. From an early age Alison was an enthusiastic helper in the kennel where she developed a deep sympathy and love for animals. Her mother’s passion for gardening also instilled in Alison a lifelong love of gardening. After leaving school, Alison joined the RCAF Air Reserve and attended secretarial school. She and Jim were married in 1954 and moved to Montreal, then Calgary before finally returning home to Victoria in 1960. Alison worked for Revenue Canada in the Income Tax Department, finally spending approximately 20 years with Hudson’s Bay Company.
Alison and Jim were avid readers and shared a love of world history, particularly Russian history. In the early 1970s they embarked on Russian language lessons at UVIC to learn enough to speak a little for a planned trip to the Soviet Union. This led to a long standing Russian language study group in their home. Their planned trip finally took place in 1984. With Glasnost in 1991, and a second trip to Russia, including the newly independent Georgia, Alison and Jim opened their home to university students from that country wanting to study at UVIC. They also continued to travel extensively.
Alison retired from the Bay on her 65th birthday in 1997. That same day she joined the Friends of Government House Gardens Society. This was to become her focus for the next 26 years. Alison was awarded the Viceregal Award for her volunteer work with the Society. She served in a number of positions including twice as Board President and as coordinator of the Terraces garden where she volunteered until this past August.
A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Island Health for helping to bring Alison home from hospital to spend her final days with her beloved rescue dog, Ojie and her Kittycat.
A funeral and reception will be held at St. Luke’s Church, 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at 10:30 am. To honour Alison, pets of all kinds are most welcome.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Victoria Humane Society or the Victoria Hand Project, who makes prosthetic limbs for amputees, including those in Ukraine.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
-
James Stockdill
-
marion jensen I volunteered with Allison in the cut flower garden and was impressed by her positive attitude and her tactfulness. She went on to chair the Friends of Government House Gardens and then became head of the terracites, a lively group that restored the terrace below the ballroom. The work required nimbleness, and dedication, and good humour all of which Allison had. sorry to hear she is gone
-
marion jensen I volunteered with Allison in the cut flower garden and was impressed by her positive attitude and her tactfulness. She went on to chair the Friends of Government House Gardens and then became head of the terracites, a lively group that restored the terrace below the ballroom. The work required nimbleness, and dedication, and good humour all of which Allison had. sorry to hear she is gone,
I am sorry to have missed Allison’s memorial service. She and her late husband Jim, were a caring, loving and always thoughtful couple. Allison has a heart of gold. Please accept my condolences. Cam, all the best to you.