Obituary of Gertrude LaRose

<h1>Gertrude LaRose</h1> (nee Bamsey) On Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kitchener, in her 89th year. Loving mother of William Robert of Waterloo and his ex-wife Mary Nuxoll of London, Ont., Kenneth John and his wife Glennys of Lantzville, B.C., Dora Marian Bean and her husband William of Kitchener, and Jeannette Marilyn Blackburn and her husband Joseph of Waterloo. As a grandmother, she beamed at the accomplishments of her grandchildren: Karen LaRose-Krebs (nee LaRose), Kimberly Broad (nee LaRose), Heather Bean, Nathan Bean, Rebecca Blackburn and Jonathan Blackburn. Loving great-grandmother to Matthew Broad, Melissa Broad, Molly Broad, and Nicholas Krebs. Gertrude is survived by her sister, Ina Bamsey of Vancouver, and brother Arthur of Edmonton. She was predeceased by her husband, Walter Homer LaRose, her parents, Percival Reuben Bamsey and Jessie Alice Bamsey (nee Davidson), and her sisters, Dora Marian Bamsey, Alice McKenzie and Esther May and a brother, Walter Bamsey. Gertrude was born in Kinsella, Alta., on May 5, 1921, but spent most of her childhood in Jarrow, Alta., and Edmonton. She spoke fondly of Alberta’s big skies, the prairie rose and the western blue birds. She pursued a career as a draftsman before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in Edmonton in 1941. She served as a meteorological observer with the Commonwealth Air Training Program at airfields in Ottawa, Toronto, Brantford and Borden. She was discharged at the time of her marriage in 1944, with the rank of leading airwoman. Gert settled in Wellandport, Ont., on a property known to the family as “the farm” (although little farming was done there), in a house perched so near the Welland River that floodwaters could reach the steps. She did her share in the community, starting a Brownie pack and being a stalwart of the Women’s Institute, but excelled in her chosen role as foundation of the household, the maker of lemon pies, the filler of canning shelves and the spirit of Christmases past, present and yet-to-come. The family moved to Niagara Falls upon the sale of the family farm in 1968, and, on the retirement of her husband in 1979, she and Walt moved to Waterloo, as several of their children and their families had moved to the Kitchener-Waterloo area. She was always fiercely proud of her children, and her experience as a doting mother served her well as a doting grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a staunch defender of all things Scottish and the Queen, and proud of her Davidson and Bamsey family connections in Canada and the United Kingdom. She counted among her life’s highlights two trips to England and Scotland with two of her granddaughters. At her request, there will be no visitation or funeral service. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Honour her memory by celebrating your own family and friends, or by making a donation to the Lung Association, the Canadian Cancer Society or the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation. Special thanks to the caring staff of the sixth floor respiratory unit at St. Mary’s General Hospital.