(1922 – 2016) Karol Walpole and her husband Peter are sad to announce the recent death of Karol’s mother, Mary van Embden (nee Skipsey), in her 94th year.
Mary was born in Yorkshire, UK. She moved to London during WWII, to serve in the war effort. There she met and married Josua van Embden, who had recently escaped from occupied Holland.
Both Mary and Jos served in Belgium and Holland, attached to the Canadian Armed Forces as they moved up towards Amsterdam. Mary served as an ambulance driver. They were both involved in some ‘exciting’ situations up to and past the end of WWII.
Mary and her two daughters (Christina and Karol) followed Jos to Indonesia after the war. They returned to live in Holland and later to London, UK. Mary was very active as a volunteer in a local hospital and other organizations.
Mary and Jos followed their daughter, Karol and her husband Peter to Barrie, after Jos retired from Royal Dutch Shell, London. They set up home on Kempenfelt Drive, Barrie. Mary was very active as a volunteer at RVH and other organizations in and around Barrie
Following the death of her husband, Mary moved to downtown Ottawa where she lived independently for a number of years. Following her physical decline, Mary moved to a series of retirement homes and finally a nursing home, where she spent her last months. Mary is survived by her daughters (and sons in law), Christina Lewis (David) and Karol Walpole (Peter), grandchildren Zarah Walpole, Leon Walpole, Naomi Lewis, Chloe Lewis, and great grandchildren Alex and Sophie Walpole Pavlik.
A private celebration of life is planned for a time in the future, when the widespread family can attend. Gifts in memory of Mary may be made to the Canadian Alzheimer's Society (www.alzheimer.ca/en).