Obituary of ALICE "GWEN" KING

ALICE “GWEN” KING Born 5 Aug 1932 Died 10 Feb 2017 Our mom, Gwen King, passed away peacefully at home on February 10 after a year long battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her four children, Cheri, Brian, Steven and Barbara, and her daughter-in-law, Lisa. Her beloved dog and cat, Jack and Bibi, also never left her side. Gwen was born, raised, and lived her entire life in Winnipeg, mostly in the north end. She was the youngest of five children of Charles and Amy Bennett, English immigrants to Canada, and the last to pass away. Our dad, William (Bill) King, a World War II Royal Air Force veteran, was touring Canada when he met Gwen. They fell in love and got married on 23 Dec. 1950, when Mom was just 18 years old. They built our family over the next two decades. Arlene was born in 1951 but died a month later. Cheryl (Cheri) came along in 1953 and Brian in 1956. Mom and Dad adopted Steven in 1966 and Barbara in 1967. Mom was a bright woman and a voracious reader. Books, fiction and nonfiction, were always in the house. When she died, there were six books in her room that she was still planning to get to. Though she would happily admit she was not good at math, she had a passion for science, especially anything to do with space. She loved to talk about the latest photos from the Hubble space telescope or black holes or the idea of a multiverse. Education was very important for children in the King home. Gwen was a true animal lover and was never without a dog since the 1960’s. She had a succession of medium-sized or larger dogs that could all be defined as having a terrific temperament. Not one was worth anything as a guard dog, except for their appearance, but all were raised to be friendly with everyone. A source of pride for her was when a police dog in Connecticut, USA received a bullet protective vest with an emblem saying “Donated in Honor of Gwen King.” A picture of that dog occupied a place of honor in her home. Gwen loved to travel. She arranged family vacations to the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Vancouver. She went to Israel and Egypt with Cheri, where she got to see the pyramids that fascinated her so much. She and Dad made a trip to Europe where the Anglophile Gwen was dismayed to find she liked Paris much more than London. She made many trips in Canada and the US by plane, car, and bus. Although she had travelled to many places, she never wanted to move from Winnipeg -- it was always home. She died in the house she lived in since 1973. Here are a few fun facts about Gwen that her friends and family will recognize. She was terrified of heights yet was newly-licensed Brian’s first passenger in a tiny, 2-seat plane in 1996. She had a love affair with her cars, starting with a burgundy 1967 Mercury Cougar she got new. Her most recent car was never referred to as her car but as “The Mazda.” She really enjoyed playing cards with her group of friends and was often the driver, picking people up to go to games. She loved going to our cottage in Winnipeg Beach in the 1960s and 1970s, where she would work very hard on having the perfect tan. She loved to laugh and relished back and forth joking with her sister-in-law, Faye. She was an aficionado of classical music and gave us all an appreciation for music. She did not like opera or country music but would listen to Beethoven, George Gershwin, Il Divo, the Red Army Chorus, and anything in between. Music was always playing in the house. Our Dad, Bill, died in 1992 and Mom lived independently since then. She got joy from her children and her grandchildren, Stephanie King and Austin King, who live in Connecticut. She loved her nieces and nephews, and their children, in Winnipeg. They provided a sense of family since all Mom’s kids had moved from the city. In particular, Lynda, Judy, and Amy added quality to Mom’s life with their unwavering love and support. Thanks are sent to Mom’s card-playing, tea-swilling friends. Special thanks go to neighbours Sandy and Donna, two wonderful people who were more than friends to Mom. Finally, Mom’s diagnosis a year ago was a terrifying time for her. Her goal was to stay in her home, with her best canine friend, Jack, until her last breath. She was only able to do this thanks to the outstanding care provided by the wonderful people from Home Instead, a home care agency. Trisha, Anne, Jocelyn, Jeanette, Sumeet, and all the others who spent hours caring for and counselling Mom during these difficult months became her friends and confidantes. They are special. Thanks also to the people from Palliative Care, from the caring nurses to the home health workers who spent the night shift with Mom. Goodbye, Mom. We’ll always love you. A celebration of life will be held at Cropo Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, Feb 15 from 5 to 7 PM. In lieu of flowers, you may make donations to the Winnipeg Humane Society.