Billie, as she was affectionately known by her family and friends, slipped away peacefully on Monday, February 4, 2002, at Wing View Seniors’ home in Ladysmith, B.C.
She was born in Blantyre, Scotland on July 6, 1909 to Joseph & Elizabeth Watson, but moved to Ladysmith with her family as a very young child, where she grew up & received her education. She moved to Vancouver as a young girl of twenty and, after training, entered the work force as a comptometer operator for Canadian Pacific Railway, until her marriage. Billie was predeceased by her husband, Oliver, a Vancouver city Police Officer killed in the line of duty, on February 26, 1947, and by her son, William, in December of 1998.
She leaves to mourn her passing, her daughter-in-law, Beth of Vancouver, nephew Dave Alexander of Saltair, nieces Alistair Couwenberg (Harrie) of Yellow Point & Nancy Southern (Walter) of Saltair, and sister-in-law, Irene Watson of Ladysmith, as well as many great nieces & nephews throughout the province and a number of good friends in the lower mainland area. Billie worked for many years in the administration office of Woodwards Department store in Vancouver after she was widowed, then as a dental nurse for over twenty years, also in Vancouver.
Many thanks to Mary & Ivan Proud and staff of Wing View Seniors Home in Ladysmith for the loving care Billie received in the twilight of her life, and to Dr. Peter Bowen-Roberts and the nursing staff at Ladysmith Hospital for their care and attention as well.
A memorial service will be held in the chapel of First Memorial Funeral Services, 1720 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, B.C. on Wednesday, February 13, 2002 at 2:00 pm, with private family cremation, interment to follow at a later date at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation at 1212 West Broadway in Vancouver, V6H 3V2, or at 1-947 Fort Street in Victoria, V8V 3K3, or to the charity of your choice.