“She loved to help people,” says Audrey’s grandson Mark. “She would love to know that she is helping people heal and enjoy life through her donation, because that’s what she was all about. That makes me happy.”

“I will always remember my Granny for how cheerful she was,” says Mark. “She was always in a good mood. She loved to laugh.”

Mark’s grandmother Audrey was born January 30^th, 1913 in Kingston Ontario and passed away peacefully last August at 106 years old.

Audrey was the eldest of three siblings. At eighteen she moved to Toronto and attended Shaw’s Business School, and went on to work for the Bank of Montreal. In the early 1930’s she met the love of her life, Steve, who was in the Royal Regiment of Canada. Together they had a daughter, Christine. By all accounts, Audrey’s great joys in life were family, friends, and travel. She volunteered at Humber River Hospital’s Keele Legacy Site (formerly Northwestern Hospital). She loved to throw parties and had a passion for music, singing, and dancing.

“My grandfather died when they were in their 70s,” says Mark. “My Granny was very tough. She lived alone for thirty years taking care of herself.

When Audrey was 105 she came down with pneumonia and was admitted at Humber River Hospital’s new Wilson site. Mark was out West at the time and rushed home.

“We all thought it was goodbye,” he remembers. “But when I arrived at 4:00 am she was in a great mood. She loved the new Hospital, especially that it was spacious enough for her family to visit. We are all happily surprised when she recovered and was discharged.”

“I will always remember my Granny for how cheerful she was,” says Mark. “She was always in a good mood. She loved to laugh.”

After a fall where she broke her hip, Audrey spent the last few months of her life at a nursing home. True to form, she made friends immediately, took classes, attended Church services, and hopped from one activity to the next.

The two organizations that Audrey honoured in her Will were Humber River Hospital and the Royal Regiment of Canada.

“They were the two things most dear to her heart,” says Mark. “She loved to help people. She would love to know that she is helping people heal and enjoy life, because that’s what she was all about. That makes me happy.”

Humber River Hospital Foundation would like to thank Audrey’s family for sharing her story with us. If you would like to learn more about the Aspen Grove Society, our legacy giving program, click here.