Our family is deeply saddened to announce that Doreen ‘May’ Smith passed away peacefully on February 28, 2019 in Sidney, BC.
May enjoyed life to the fullest and was truly loved by a great many people. Her warmth, smiles and optimism were infectious, despite her struggles with MS for most of her adult life. May was strong and determined with a wonderful sense of humour and regularly made friends wherever she went.
She is survived by two children, Theresea and Grant; five grandchildren, Richard, Kristen, Faron, Ashley and Colin and by four great-grandchildren Noah, Hailie, Zachary, and Azlynn May.
Enduring a hearty upbringing on a Saskatchewan farm, May decided to venture out to see the world and joined the RCAF in 1952. Soon she met Chuck – an air force pilot, they fell in love and were married in November 1953. Together May and Chuck travelled the world, raised two children until his sudden death in 1977.
Undaunted, May decided to stay in the Victoria area and began investing in real estate. Here she met Ernest Wilden and they started a new and adventurous life together filled with paintings, hikes, good friends and loads of fun parties. May and Ernest built their dream house on the shores of Saturna Island and lived in that tranquil home until Ernest’s unexpected passing in 2008.
Knowing that health would temper her pace of life, May acquired a condo in Sidney in 2009 to share her time between Saturna and Sidney. She continued to thrive with humility and grace, accepting the gradual impediments attributable to her MS. In 2016, she published her marvelous life story after so many years of her kids and grandkids telling her to write down some of these remarkable anecdotes.
By early 2017, May acknowledged that she needed more assistance with daily living and moved into Sidney All Care Residence (SACR). There she flourished with the fabulous level of care provided and again made more wonderful friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at SACR, 2269 Mills Road, Sidney BC, on Friday, March 29, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the MS Society of Canada https://mssociety.ca/ would be appreciated.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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Andrea Burnham
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Vincent Willden Our condolences to May’s family especially to her grandchildren and great grandchildren of whom she was so proud. From the Willden family I can offer with loving assurance from my four brothers and sisters that we were so thankful that Ernest met and fell in love with May for a long and fulfilling courtship that never seemed to end. They had such a zest for life it was catching just being with them. In spite of her ms May was right beside or leading on each adventure. Each day ended with much laughter and joy. Even in the home when her mobility declined she would brighten her visitors day with her dry comic humor. She was heroic in my eyes and a much loved friend, I miss already.
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Jim & Mary Jeffries My wife,Mary, and I were so very lucky to have shared part of May’s life. She was an extrodinary person who inspired all who knew her. She never gave in to anything that life threw her way and met every siuation with a smile. Maybe it was after being raised on a farm in Saskagchwan that made everything else in life easy. We miss here dearly and will remember her til our own last days.
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Lisa Richdale Rest In Peace Dearest May.
I greatly admired your courage as you lived with MS. I loved your passion for Family, Friends and Life! You were one of a kind and I feel blessed to have met you. I will remember fondly our times together, especially some very competitive games of Mexican Train! Your blue eyes would twinkle with love and especially mischief! This is how I chose to remember you!
You were Greatly Loved and you will be Greatly missed. I wish you a Happy Reunion with those loved ones who have gone on before! I am sure you are All having a fun filled “catch up” party.
My Deepest Sympathies to Terry, Grant and their respective families. xxoo
Much Love,
Lisa
So sad to hear the news of Mays passing. She tackled life with humour and determination, no doubt traits we all admired. She was a good friend to mom and dad, they had many shenanigans together! Wishing her family and friends the best memories that we all have of her. May she Rest In Peace.