November 28, 1914 – March 14, 2010
Surrounded by love, Frona left her physical body on Sunday, March 14th. Though bed ridden for the last while and very tired; when alert we could still get a chuckle. Thanks to Lydia, her live-in caregiver; Elsa, weekend relief; and an amazing support system, Frona got her wish to die at home. Capable loving care was provided in her familiar surroundings, thanks to the Home Care Nurses, particularly Dana and Tina; Dr. Ted Rosenberg and staff; the Red Cross Equipment Loan Service; and Beacon Community Support Workers.
Frona leaves behind three cousins Al, Jean, Verna and their families; along with a large circle of friends and students. For over 50 years, she made her living as a musician and music educator. She enriched this work with her passion for the “study of life”. After retiring, Frona continued to educate through her writing and informal ‘counselling’ sessions over tea. Frona’s spirituality was inclusive and universal. Over the years, she explored a variety of paths resonating strongly with the work of Rudolf Steiner. We all experienced first-hand one of his beliefs: “As the physical body ages, the soul body becomes ever more blooming”, and we thank Frona for showing us how it’s done; through sheer strength of will she persevered and learned the lessons life brought her way.
Frona started her teaching career in Regina, Saskatchewan during the Depression. She performed as the principal violist in Regina’s symphony and with the University of Saskatchewan’s String Quartet. In 1962 she moved to Victoria winning acclaim for her pioneering work with the Suzuki Violin Method. She retired from performing and teaching in 1985. In 1998 she was nominated for A Women of Distinction Award in the Lifetime Achievement Category.
A service to celebrate Frona’s life will be held at Cadboro Bay United Church, 2625 Arbutus Road, Victoria, B.C. on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Frona’s name to Hospice or a charity of your choice.
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Jerry G. Dickason
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Pamela (Anthonisen) Bates My grade 6 teacher at Margaret Jenkins suggested to my parents that I be given private violin lessons, and Frona Colquhoun was recommended. Frona taught me the violin for about 4 years (and later on, piano) during the 1960’s. She spent countless hours teaching me “theory” for which I received excellent marks from the Conservatory; however my nerves got much the better of me when it came to playing the violin for strangers during exam time and concerts. I am, however, gratified that she had great patience, and saw my potential (at least I was able to display it for her), and have sustained my love for classical music equally or perhaps more than for the classical ‘rock’ I grew up with during my teens. She was also thrilled to introduce my young pre-school age son to the violin but unfortunately his lessons were discontinued for reasons of travelling distance. I will be forever grateful for our link – I’ve thought of her very often through the years, she was a wonderful lady and will be missed in the community and by her many friends.
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Mark Reed I have fond memories of Miss Colquhoun, my violin teacher of 8 years in the 1960s. Her little dogs, her deep pile white carpet, waiting for my lesson in the stairway outside her suite in her home, the occasional ride in her Mini, an organ concert that she took me to, helping her with young Suzuki students (me being too old for Suzuki at that time), and playing in a string quartet with other young students of hers – I especially enjoyed that. She was a nice person and I felt bad for letting her down when I’d show up unprepared for a lesson. Sad to learn that she has passed away. But she will always be with me.
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Kathryn Guthrie While I am no musician, and sadly my piano playing has languished over the years, Miss Colquhoun had an enormous impact on my life. She took the time to talk to me about things that mattered to me, as well as things that mattered to her. She was, I realize now, my first model of an engaging educator and mentor.
She was also our neighbour when I was growing up; everyone on our street got used to seeing her buzzing by in her little mini or whatever car she was driving.
Miss Colquhoun touched many lives, and allowed herself also to be touched by so many.
I am deeply grateful for her gifts in my life.
I will think of her always in that beautiful spot on Dallas Road, looking out at the sea…
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Lois Sim Come, Frona, you kindred spirit. From Regina to Dallas Road, farewell to our togetherness.
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Alex Wilson A fine Educator and fine lady. She will be greatly missed
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Alex Wilson I started taking violin lessons from Frona Colguhoun in about 1945 when I was 12 years old. As I think back it must have been quite a sacrifice for my parents driving me in from the farm 15 miles out of Regina on a weekly basis for lessons. The lessons were very enjoyable and Miss Colguhoun did help me at times to defray some of the lesson costs by doing some odd jobs for her such as oainting the front steps on her house on Montague Street. I carried on with lessons through my high school years and beyond, playing with the Junior Symphony Orchestra and later with the Regina Symphony Orchestra for 22 years.
I remember vividly performing in Miss Colquhoun’s annual recital at Darke Hall, as a senior student, on June 25, 1960, the night that a son was born to my wife Doreen and I (our first child).
Much more recently, when Doreen and I were attending a Figure Skating event in Victoria, in November, 2006, we were able to have a most enjoyable and inspiring visit with Frona at her home on Dallas Road. After all the yhears that had passed, that visit will be unforgetable.
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Charles Barber It was my honour to study violin and piano with Miss Colquhoun for much of junior high and all of senior. She was endlessly patient with my blunders and gaucheries, and ceaselessly kind in pointing me to higher standards and eloquence in music. From her studio on Dallas Road she took me to music and artists I had never heard of, and in ways I never knew possible.
She once took me to hear Boris Rubiakin in Vancouver, because “you need to know what the Russians sound like”. She was like this with all her students. We were, of course, in fact her children, and as much love as music (are they distinguishable?) was transmitted by her to us.
When I was 15 I contracted cancer of the spine, and missed more than a few lessons. She was in the Jubilee like family, and when I was able to resume study her smile beamed like the sun. I later found out that she was in a prayer group and had led prayer toward healing. In this she will have done the same for everyone.
And she never forgot. Years later I took a doctorate in music at Stanford University. She ran into my Mom downtown, and could not contain her pride. She will have done the same for everyone.
Victoria was SO LUCKY that Miss Colquhoun trained and advised and loved so many of us. Today, hundreds of her students must be feeling the same. Her love. Our gratitude.
When Sherry called and informed me of Frona’s death, I immediately went to the chapter on “Sleep and Death” in Catherine E. Creeger’s translation of Rudolf Steiner’s An Outline of Esoteric Science.
I had read this with the Anthroposophy reading group that met in Frona’s home under her tutelage. Frona would be pleased that I had remembered this chapter. Frankly, I was surprised myself. It tells me that Frona, and the people in these biweekly reading sessions, had a profound effect on me.
In rereading this chapter, these passages I marked on first reading jumped out at me:
“…death frees the I from its connection to the physical and ether bodies. The moment the soul withdraws from the physical world that lays claim to all of its activity during life, another world lights up for it.” (79) I can just hear Frona say, “Oh boy, I got lots to look forward to. Can’t wait!”
“Seen in this way, [Oh, boy,… Can’t wait!”] the terrifying inconsolable conception we might have of post-death events …is transformed into a conception that is deeply satisfying and consoling.”(84) In this light, I visualize Frona in the astral life, searching for Steiner and seeking him out, in her tenacious manner, for further knowledge of higher levels of consciousness. She’ll be giddy with excitement and joyful in her guided discoveries.
As you might surmise, I felt Frona’s presence in rereading this chapter. In fact, I sit in awe of that presence and firmly believe that as I live on, her presence will be evoked, from time to time, on some matter that I can trace back to the learning I acquired in our reading group.
So, “Thank you” Frona for being a force in my life. And, thanks to the members of our reading group, Peter (who brought me to the group), Sherry, Gabriel, Valerie, Sarah, and Rob, for sharing their thoughts and lives.
Jerry G. Dickason
jerry.dickason@gmail.com