Lacy, Helen Laws (nee Byrt)
November 27, 1922 – March 4, 2016
Helen passed away peacefully at age 93 with family by her side, at the Gorge Hospital in Victoria, March 4, 2016.
Predeceased by her husband, Wayne Lacy (1991) and son David (2014).
Survived by her loving family: sons Jim, Donald (Julia); daughters Pat Darling (Robert), Kit LeRoss (Michael), Margaret Baker (Tony), daughter-in-law Laurie Lacy, 19 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren; brother Harry Byrt; brothers-in-law Lorne Lacy and Charles Fortier; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Helen was born and raised in Lloydminster, Sk., daughter of Francis and Hilda (Laws) Byrt. After completing her nursing training at the University of Alberta in 1944, Helen served one year as Nursing Lieutenant in the Canadian Army and then went on to become a public health nurse working in Didsbury, Salmon Arm, Fernie and Invermere.
Helen married Wayne in 1953 and together began a busy time raising six children in Invermere and Chemainus. Helen’s life was a gift to her family and her community, and the grief of our loss is tempered by her long and full life.
Helen was an active member of St. Joseph’s Parish and also the wider community, where she lived until 2009. She took on many roles including St. Joseph’s parish council, refugee committee (Vietnamese Boat People), Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, and St. Joseph’s school board. She was a founding member of the Cowichan Intercultural Society, delivered Meals on Wheels, and volunteered in many ways, including at Chemainus Seniors Drop in Centre and the Chemainus Thrift store. She lived in Chemainus for 48 years.
Helen moved to Victoria in 2009 to be closer to family. In these years her wit, stories, and dogged insistence that her offspring use proper grammar in speaking were strongly in evidence and will be fondly remembered. In her last years Helen again became a gift to family by giving us the joy of her presence and the opportunity to serve her needs as she had done so willingly for us.
Special thanks to the staff at Gorge Hospital Waterview Residence for their kindness and professional care.
Prayers will be offered at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Chemainus on March 11 at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 9727 Elm Street, Chemainus, BC on Saturday March 12th, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Celebrant Vincent Borre.
Condolences may be offered at www.telfordsladysmith.com