WILLIAMSON,
Cecilia Mary
Born February 7, 1908-
Passed away May 24, 2004
Cecilia was born in Udine, Italy and came to Canada with her mother as a ‘babe in arms’ (10 months).
She passed away quietly at the Chemainus Health Care Centre, Chemainus, B.C., at the age of 96.
She was raised in the Barrier-Merrit-Kamloops, B.C. area, as the eldest of her five siblings: Norman, Bruce, Margaret, Elva and Leah Rinaldi, all of whom have predeceased her. Cecilia Mary was a spunky and determined young girl and never let any grass grow under her feet, an attribute she maintained all through her adult life. She was always first our the door. This is best exemplified by an incident, which occurred in her twelfth year. She jumped off a moving passenger train to retrieve her new Easter bonnet, which had blown off her head. Fortunately she survived, after tumbling down the rail-bed embankment, with only cuts and bruises - but she did get her hat - and she did avoid a spanking. Later as a teenager, she embraced and immersed herself in the flapper craze of the 1920’s.
Cecilia married her husband of 60 years, William (Bill) Basil Williamson (predeceased) at the age of 22. Along with her compatriots of the period she raised her depression-era family with personal sacrifice and without complaint. As the tolerant and understanding wife of a locomotive engineer (CPR), she willinly endured the repeated relocations of herself and her family as Basil followed his job, and his seniority. Consequently she lived in many B.C. communities, including Ocean Falls, Trail, Nelson, Revelstoke, Port Coquitlam and Olvier.
Always of a giving, sociable, out-going nature, and quick to laugh, she soon made long term, loyal friends in ech of these communities, many of them through her love of, and prowess at bowling and bridge. She was a joy to be with and invariably saw the bright side of things.
Cecilia is lovingly remembered and survived by her two children, June Faris of Oliver and Fred (Louise) Williamson of Chemainus, and will be sadly missed by her grandchildren Lynne (Lee) of Vernon, Lori of Hythe AB., Douglas (Marlene) of Armstrong, Blair (Margaret) of Victoria, Grant (Donna) of Vancouver and Warren of Chemainus and six great grandchildren.
A very special thank you to the staff of both the Oliver and Chemainus Extended Health Care Units, for the competent and compassionate care they extended to Cecilia (Ce-ce) for the past four years (you are amazing and special people).
In lieu of a service, a memorial gathering will be held later in the year in Oliver, B.C. It will be announced prior to that time. Should you wish to be advised of the date and place, please contact 250-246-9761.
Arrangements entrusted to Telford’s Mid-Island Memorial Services.
975-42-C9516