Catherine left us quietly at her beloved Royal Jubilee Hospital on Friday morning, December 16, 2016. Born to James and Elizabeth King, in Ladysmith B.C., May 27, 1921, Catherine enrolled in nursing school at the Royal Jubilee in 1940. After graduation, she enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy and was appointed as a Nursing Sister, posted to the Halifax naval hospital, HMCN Stadacona, in 1944. Catherine served her country faithfully, tending to the wounded crew and officers of our country’s wartime convoy escort fleet. She was on duty to care for survivors of the HMCS Esquimalt, the last Canadian naval vessel sunk in World War II. It was there in Halifax that Catherine was re-united with childhood acquaintance William F. Walker. The two were married on April 27, 1946.
Catherine is survived by children Susan, Anne (Wendell Shaw), Walter and Robert (Dorothy Hanson); grandchildren Thomas, Samuel and Jenny Vaughan (Adam Ward), Alias Downey (Glenda Jones), Emma, Brittney and Dylan Walker; sister-in-law Shirley Tucker; niece Caroline Ponsford (Dave Boychuk), nephews Douglas Ponsford (Erika) and Brian Tucker; and grand-niece Kate Ponsford and Evan Boychuk.
Catherine was a proud member of First Metropolitan United Church, the Royal Jubilee Nursing Alumni Association and the PEO sisterhood. She went back to nursing at Glenwarren Lodge in the 1980s. She remained connected to her many close friends, former colleagues and neighbours until her final days.
Bill and Catherine celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary earlier this year. They will be together and at peace for Christmas.
The family would like to acknowledge the loving and gentle care from the nurses and doctors at Royal Jubilee Patient Care Centre, 8 North and from Bill and Catherine’s long-time physician Dr. David MacNaughton.
A service to be held on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 2 p.m. in First Metropolitan United Church, 932 Balmoral Street, Victoria, B.C.
In lieu of flowers, Catherine suggested a donation in her name made to the Gardens of the Pembroke Memorial Chapel at the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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