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Violet Shardalow-Brown
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On the last day of a recent family vacation in Italy, our mother Violet required major surgery. Despite the odds at the time she rallied round and after three weeks returned to her adopted country of Canada. With her true Shardalow spirit she tried to pull through but her age wasn’t on her side. She passed away peacefully Thursday, 30th August 2007. Born Violet Elsie May Shardalow, about twenty years ago she chose to change her name officially to Violet Shardalow-Brown. Originally from London, England, she adopted Toronto, Canada as her new home when she emigrated at the age of seventy — enjoying life close to her sons and new friends. She regularly went back to Europe to visit her daughter, family and friends. Within the last year alone, she went to the Netherlands, Scotland, Germany and Italy! John Shardalow, Graham Brown and Beverley Brown. |
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At the service for Mum, Beverley said... Mum was known by many names… we have one for her. From Vi, to Viley, to Lea and most recently Violet. Mum has many friends all over the world – from Europe to Australia. Its understandable that they can’t all be here for her farewell service. We asked them to think of her especially at this time while this service is taking place. These are the people thinking of Mum right as we speak. In the U.K. Her brother, uncle Frank younger by a couple of years and Ivy John M. – her long time love and friend of 35 years and her soul mate. We’ve had almost daily contact with him for the last 9 weeks. Mum and John never went more than a matter of days without a chat on the phone. Cliff her nephew, Sue, Martha and Lucy Various parts of Europe Harald In the U.S. Cousins Doris & Ken Canada Gordon Frank in Australia …and not forgetting Dusty and Stripe III. |
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John said... Mum had a great life. There were some ups and downs that occurred during her 84 years, but overall she had a good life. She was proud of serving in the WAAF during the last war and told us many great stories of that period in her life. On a vacation a couple of years ago Bevi picked up a CD of old war songs and we had many happy moments singing along and recounting those days. She did work all her life and was very proud when she brought her first house just after her retirement and moved outside of London. By this time, Bevi had lived in the Netherlands for a number of years and Graham and myself were living in Canada. So it was some relief to us kids that she decided to immigrate here at the age of 70, where she could be close to at least two of us in her later years. Here in Toronto, she always lived independently, leading a full life. She would travel back to Europe regularly to spend time with Bevi or family – sometimes going twice in one year. She had a video cassette of Rosemary Conly that was quite ancient, but she’d do her exercises in front of the television on a regular basis. Until quite recently, she enjoyed going to her dancing classes where she made some good friends. Family get-togethers were important to mum, whether they were Christmas, Easter or especially family trips. We’re a relatively small family, but we are a close one and she loved it when we were together on a family vacation. How ironic it was for her to be with Graham, Bevi, myself and Koichi on vacation in Italy when on the last day she became sick. That same day, she had a major operation for anyone, let alone an 84-year old woman. Despite the odds, we thought she was on the road to recovery. But the last week after two months… she just got tired. Mum had a very loving relationship with all three of us.
An email I received from one of my old friends summed her up so perfectly. He said, “I'd never before encountered a mother who was as open and youthful as her children. She was a very special woman.”
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Graham said... Grieve not for me Grieve not for me Let no tears fall Live your lives And when the time has come, |
