Elsie Reta Stewart (née Ford)

Passed gently and peacefully at her home in London on Monday, May 27, 2024, at the age of 98. She was predeceased by her husband and the love of her life, Alexander Stewart, to whom she was married for 64 years. She will be sadly missed by her daughter, Michele (Bruce) and son, Darryl (Terry); grandchildren Gillian (Martin) and Jeremy (Colleen); and her great-granddaughters, Holly and Lily.

Elsie was born near London, England, where she spent her childhood and young adult life. One of her claims to fame was that she had survived “The Blitz” during WWII and was old enough to remember it. She moved to Canada in 1960 with her husband and young children. He had accepted what was intended to be a three-year contract to work at Pratt & Whitney Canada, and she was happy to go along with this adventure. As fate would have it, the contract became a permanent position. Elsie generously agreed to live the rest of her life away from her family and home in England, in order to allow her husband to pursue his career dreams. They lived in Montreal for many years, then Burlington, Ontario, and finally she moved to London, Ontario to be close to her daughter after the loss of her dear Alex.

Elsie was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was delighted to finally become a great-grandmother in 2018 and was always happy to talk about her beloved great-granddaughters and to admire their latest photos and artwork. Throughout her life, she was never idle and enjoyed so many activities that it was often a challenge to find her at home long enough to take a phone call. Her passion was bridge, and she also loved gardening, bingo, knitting, sewing, and crafts. Her specialty was making teddy bears which will be cherished as keepsakes by her family. In recent years, she wrote and published her memoir.

Elsie will be remembered for her devotion to her family, her sense of humour, her kind ways, and the appreciation she showed to anyone who offered her a helping hand. In the days before her passing, she often remarked that she had been lucky to enjoy a long and happy life.  She was always there at every family gathering and her presence will be sorely missed.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks for the love and support during this time.

A small family celebration will take place on Saturday, June 8^th, 2024. As Elsie loved cats and enjoyed having feline companions for most of her life, it would be greatly appreciated if anyone wishing to make a donation would consider the Humane Society London & Middlesex.