Patricia (nee Morgan-Lewis)
April 19, 1922 - Jan. 22, 2007
Beloved Mother, Nana and
G-Nana passed away after fighting a courageous battle with her illness, at the MSA Hospital, Abbotsford. Patricia (Pat) is predeceased by her husband Bert, sister Nora, brother Bill and parents William and Lucy Morgan-Lewis. She is survived by her loving family daughter Melita (Klaas) and sons Michael (Marie) and Martin. Her grandchildren Gillian (Gene), Lisa (Steve), Andrew, Jane (Mark), Lynsey (Jeff), Kristi (Glen) and Michael and her four great grandchildren Morgan, Derek, Loren and Liam.
Patricia was born in Manchester, England on April 19, 1922. As a child she loved sports and was known as Patty the tomboy. She went on to enjoy big band music, ballroom dancing and theatre. During the war years she volunteered with the Manchester Fire Service. In 1945 Pat married Bert Shepherd and they settled in Manchester to start their family. Pat worked for many years as a private secretary to the partner of the accounting firm Peat, Marwick, Mitchell in Manchester and she won many competitions for her shorthand and typing skills.
Pat and Bert followed their children and their families to Canada in 1980 and worked as a private secretary to the Director of Nursing at a psychiatric correctional facility in Abbotsford and became known to her co-Âworkers as “Shep”. In her retirement years she enjoyed being an active member of the Abbotsford Happy Gang variety singers and also served on the board of directors of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. In her final years Pat was loved and cared for daily by her son Michael and her daughter-in-law Marie and she enjoyed many gatherings at their home with friends and family. Pat remained “young at heart” and her New Year's Eve outfits were outrageous, including dressing up as the “Sugar Plum Fairy”, complete with tutu and tights, at the age of 83. Whenever people encountered Pat they were taken by her generous heart and caring nature – she always treated every one the same from queen to pauper.
On Thanksgiving Day October 2006 Pat fulfilled her dream and went flying in a helicopter with her granddaughter Gillian and husband Gene, who was the pilot. At the end of her flight she said “If I die today - my life will be complete”. On January 22, 2007 Pat took her last flight with the angels to her final destination and is now dancing and singing in Heaven – free from all pain.
Prayers will be offered at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, 33333 Mayfair Ave., in Abbotsford, at 7:00 pm on Sunday, January 28, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:30 am on Monday, Jan. 29. Rev. Henry Yeung, Celebrant. Interment to follow at Hazelwood Cemetery.
First Memorial Aldergrove 857-0111