Peacefully, at her home in Victoria on March 1, 2011. Predeceased by her beloved husband, Hugh in 1984, she leaves behind her three loving sons, Robin with his wife Fran in Ottawa, Don with his wife Bobbie in Victoria and Michael in Ottawa; her five grandchildren, Francine in Cleveland, Kathy in Calgary, Scott in Victoria, Susan in Toronto, and Laura in Victoria and
her thirteen great-grandchildren. Born in 1909, Jean grew up in Vancouver and graduated from U.B.C. with honours in French. After spending a post-graduate year studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, she moved to Victoria where she taught French at Saint Margaret’s School and then Victoria College as well as doing some private tutoring. Falling in love with and marrying one of her mature Vic College students, she settled down with Hugh in Victoria where he embarked on a career in educational leadership that would culminate in the Presidency of UVic and she devoted herself to supporting him and raising their children. Jean was an active member of the
Women’s Canadian Club, the Alliance Francaise, the PEO sisterhood, and the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She travelled widely with her husband and wrote wonderfully descriptive accounts of their journeys. She enjoyed swimming, yoga, drawing and painting, and was an accomplished knitter and gardener; she also loved the car she bought after learning to drive in
her mid-seventies and the two homes she and Hugh built in the Gonzales area of Victoria and at Beachcomber near Parksville. Jean was delighted when all of her sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren plus seven of her great-grandchildren convened in Victoria to celebrate her 100th birthday in November 2009, aparty at which she was the “belle of the ball”. She was
wonderfully assisted and lovingly cared for in her later years by her care-givers with whom she became great friends – Jan, Karen, Lorraine, and Ella – and by her dear friend, Raquel. Many thanks to Dr. Rosenberg and his staff for their excellent care.
-
John Sargent
Dear Michael, Robin, and Don
My sincere condolences on the death of your mother. I was privileged to meet her a few times in the 1970s-1990s when Harry Hickman was visiting us in Ottawa and she came by for tea. I know how much respect and affection Harry had for her.
Perhaps a later newspaper announcement will indicate any charities to which donations might be made in her memory.
Sincerely
John Sargent (Harry Hickman’s son-in-law, husband of the late Janice Hickman)