Obituary of Jean Pease

Our Mother, Jean Dorothy Weir Pease (Mrs. Harold Drummond Pease) was born in Owen Sound Thursday August 3,1922 and passed away peacefully at home in Kitchener Tuesday November 6, 2012 at the tender age of 90 in her 91st year. Her parents were Herman Hesse Weir (born 1895 - died September 1958) and Florence Amelia Weir, ne Doswell (born 1898 - died in the spring of her 85th year, 1983) both from England. They had three children - a baby girl, Frances Eugenia who died shortly after birth, our mother Jean Dorothy and our Uncle Jim who came three years later on September 16, 1925. Loving wife of Harold Drummond Pease -(Monday April 11,1921-Tuesday August 24,1976) Devoted sister to James Hesse Weir (born Wednesday September 16, 1925 - died Tuesday July 17, 2012) and Pamela Gwendolyn Weir, ne Hargest. Beloved and Cherished mother of Susan Elizabeth van Dyk, nee Pease, Kathleen Amelia Pease Knapp (Peter Rademaker). Loving and Devoted Grandmother to Christopher Adrianus van Dyk, Ryan Alexander van Dyk and Colin Daniel Knapp. Treasured Great Grandmother to Claire Agnes Rose McKinley (Daughter of Ryan van Dyk), Lara Margaret van Dyk and Ava Adriana van Dyk (Daughters of Christopher van Dyk). Stepmother to Ted and Nancy Pease. Devoted and Beloved Aunt to Valerie Jean Hiller ne Weir and husband George Hiller, James Randall Weir and friend Elizabeth Lenz, Robin Paul Weir and Teresa Joan Weir, ne Reimer. Cherished Great Aunt to William and Leslie Hiller, James Joshua Weir, Jordan Evan Weir and Brandan James Weir (sons of James Randall Weir). Beloved Aunt to Graham, Gordon and John Stratford, David and Nancy Pease, Joanna and Diana Lyon. About our Mom... Our mother's mind was as sharp as a tack and she could recall everything she had ever experienced in her life in glorious detail. The nurses called her- "inventory Jenny" as she could walk into a room and tell you everything it contained. Her stories are legend and were filled with humour, colour, feeling, great detail as well as the love and understanding of the circumstances each story presented. She could make them all come alive for us as though we ourselves had been there and they will continue to be told long into our future generations. Thank you Mom for the sharing, the heart, the laughter, the sorrow, the colours of your life and the glory of you! Some of Mom's stories amongst the many: Bob's down in the Bay's Boysment lide door's socked and I can't get in! Sally McKee...... The invention and original method of use of Penicillin. Circumstances and details about each of our births told lovingly on our respective birthdays each year. 90 years of history in our land and lives and every name of anyone who was fortunate enough to touch her magnificent life. Most recently shared story - as Remembrance Day was approaching and each year around Remembrance Day - especially this time after loosing her brother Jim, our Mom would tell us stories of Classmates lost, friends and family who gave their lives for our freedom as did Dad's brother Ted, his twin who died on the Beaches of Normandy. Grandpa Weir being in the trench with his best friend Jimmy Bird and his friend insisting that he run the message that Grandpa was to do - up the line - as Grandpa and Grandma had just married and he had "responsibilities" now Jimmy Bird said that he'd go - then Grandpa watching as his friend got blown up mere yards from where he'd just been standing. So many, many stories....beautifully shared with great love and tenderness.... A brief history of Our Mother's life: Mom was born and grew up with her brother in Owen Sound. Her first exposure to the world of medicine came at the age of 12 when her mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She would recount in great detail the events of her mothers "first successful brain tumor operation in Canada" and would later go on to become an RN graduating the day that WW2 ended in June of 1945. Her first job was selling tickets at the theatre where her father ran the movies - at 14 years of age after which she went into training to be a nurse as war broke out. She recalled getting 7 dollars a week at the theatre and upon going into training receiving 7 dollars a month. She trained at the old Owen Sound General and Marine Hospital where she graduated and went on to specialize in Emergency Care through their affiliation with the Children's Hospital of Michigan's Detroit Medical Center. "The American nurses were wonderful to us. We were making 7 dollars a month in training and they were making 700". She went on to work in Maternity in Chilliwack where she delivered many a wee babe - if Nurse Weir could not be found they knew she would be with the "preemies" (premature births) holding them, loving them and keeping them safe. In war time things often went awry - she remembered delivering babies in the case room under a 7 watt bulb. In the fall of 1949 she went on to Vancouver's Shaughnessy Hospital where she nursed our Veterans from the Boar War, WW1 and WW2 for the next 6 years. She fought hard for "Her Boys" to give them a better life. One of her famous stories was of a young nurse, Susan, who wanted to impress Nurse Weir - upon arriving at the ward of "her boys" Susan told her that she'd already cleaned the Vets teeth and all she had to do, handing our Mom a container full of their false teeth - was give them back!!! It was in Vancouver that she met our father Harold Drummond Pease - they fell in love and the rest is our history. Our parents were married April 29, 1957. Our Mom loved children - really loved children - all children. Her work with "challenged children" and the "Handicapped" was her most treasured and rewarding of her career. She understood them and loved all of us unconditionally. We all knew that she lived for children as all of us who had been and are still her children experienced first hand. Her life was all about caring, nursing and loving us with the most enduring love that will truly never die. Mom was our "Encyclopedia" of knowledge and most particularly any illness that would befall our clan. We would call her for all our answers - sometimes even before "911"! She always had the right advice and support. Poignant memories of her "specializing" her darling Christopher after a serious car accident from her wheel chair are a testament to her devotion. Insisting on staying with him in the hospital day and night and surprising his doctor when she asked "why was he giving Chris steroids?". This wheel chair bound old lady knew a thing or two :) She was in great pain however her grandson was her priority. Nursing her special Ryan when he would have croup or other childhood illnesses. He who would tease her so and as he has mentioned here, ruffling her hair and she'd leave it that way - Children, and we were all her children, and will always be, could do anything and know they were loved. She understood. Nursing Colin through five consecutive bouts of pneumonia - holding him through the coughing spells and making sure he had his medicine on time. Always the nurse, always the mother, always the grandmother. Being the rock for all of us whenever we needed her or her wisdom that she would share from the depth of her soul. She loved wholly and equally with no favourites - always there through all our trials and tribulations. Always positive, always hopeful (glass half full), beautiful in mind, body, spirit and soul. I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I'm living my Mother you'll be!! Quote from a favourite book we would share with our boys. Our Mom never put herself first - no matter what pain she was in - and she suffered greatly over the years but she'd never let you know just how bad it was - (when our Mom did show pain it was so bad it would put the strongest man under the table) we all came first in her heart and her priorities. When she gave birth to her girls she had been warned not to do so as they said that she would never walk again. She loved children...she did it anyway. She wanted her own. Many surgeries prior to her marriage and six major surgeries (two hip resurfacings, two major hip replacements, open heart surgery and most recently a year ago, a bout with Breast Cancer that resulted in major surgery at 89) These left her body ravaged and weak however her mind remained brilliant and she never complained. One of the joys that I treasure was seeing our Mom dance at my wedding; after years of pain and not being able to walk she was pain free after her hip surgeries. We had a precious miracle to have been able to celebrate her 90th birthday with all of us gathered together and her sitting as our queen in her favourite chair in glorious sunshine surrounded by our love. A memory that we will cherish forever. Most recently, Mom had been doing well, in great spirits as always and still fussing over all of us. She was thinking forward to spring - had been given an OK in the health department. Her Dr. Nagee had said she was "OK" for a month with her blood work. She'd tease him about shaving his hair wondering if he would have had curls given half a chance :) Mom believed in an "attitude of gratitude" and was beyond grateful for the tiniest of niceties. Selfless, strong devoted, deep, brilliant, wise, caring, loving and cherishing. Family meant the most to her and she was and will always be our rock. All we ever have to do is remember her wisdom shared and we will flourish in all our lives. My sister and I wanted our Mom not to be alone after Dad passed and we tried unsuccessfully to introduce her to potential partners throughout the years. Mom finally said "I will never love anyone as much as I loved your father" (her "Hal") and we finally understood. Our Dad was magic and his spell lives on still. Dad died when we were teenagers and she remained his forever. They were very well suited in every way - loving unconditionally and now they dance! Mom loved her brother deeply. Our mother was predeceased by him - Uncle Jim - this past summer on July 17, 2012 after a long battle with cancer. James Hesse Weir (Jim) was three years younger than our mother. He was born September 16, 1925 and my mother remembered the day he was born as clearly as though it had just happened and she was only three - she recalled a beautiful sunny day on her walk up to the hospital to meet her new sibling. After his loss she lamented that he'd left a "big hole in our lives" and the weight of his passing was so very painful. They are together again now and neither one of them are in pain any longer. She's dancing again with our Dad as Uncle Jim is doing so with Aunt Pam. God Bless them and God Bless Mom as she has blessed us forever in the privilege, honour and fortune to have been chosen to be receivers of her undying, unconditional and boundless love. Mom, Wife, Aunt Jean, Grandma, Great Grandmother, Nurse Weir, friend - you are forever in our hearts and minds and will never truly leave us. Here is her favourite Psalm that was Dad's as well. The LORD Is My Shepherd, Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Amen. We love you forever, We like you for always, As long as we're living our Angel you'll be. From her Daughter Susan: Our mother was an amazing role model. Always teaching us, loving us and understanding us. She was everything we will strive our whole lives to be. We need to follow in her Angelic foot steps. Whenever I hear Amazing Grace, or Jean by Oliver I will cry a tear. I know my Mom is always going to be around me. She will guide me to always do what I would know she would want me to do. She had an amazing way of putting people at ease. She was a very strong woman with a heart of Gold. She had the patience of a Saint. Everyone who had the pleasure of meeting our Mom would always say how wonderful she was. My Mom would make sure she said the Serenity prayer every single day. Lord please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. We will love you forever! You daughter Susan From her Grandson Ryan: When I remember my Grandma, there will be too many memories to count. The Grandma who could tell stories from 80 years ago and still remember the weather, time of day and color shirt someone was wearing. The Grandma who would get sick when my brother and I would be bad and fight. The Grandma who stayed up with my brother and I to watch the Blue Jays win the World Series….2 years in a row! The Grandma who could always listen and not judge. The Grandma who with one look could tell you how she felt. The Grandma that would support me no matter what path I chose. The Grandma who when in the hospital after a heart attack, promised she would stay alive to see me make something of myself. The Grandma who had such a sparkle in her eyes when she held my daughter and her other 2 nieces. The Grandma who's hair I would mess up and she would keep it that way. And the Grandma who I'll never forget, always cherish memories of and miss very, very much. Ryan van Dyk From her Grandson Christopher: You''ve always been there for us to put us at ease. When we were young hearing you humming or whistling away an old favourite song, holding our hand; while we lay there falling asleep. You would always wait by the foot of our bed behind us until you knew we were sleeping. Sometimes I'd try my hardest not too just so you could stay a little longer. You where always there for us whenever we needed you. Always putting others first before your own interests. I'll never forget you. And I will try my hardest to follow in your footsteps and make you proud. As I know you will be watching us and looking out from up above. You make me proud to be your forever grandchild. I will Love you forever and always my grandma you will be. Chris van Dyk