Jean McLeod Vantreight (nee Beckwith)

Jean was in her 100th year on December 18th when she died with family by her side. She was still living in her home on Tyndall Avenue that she and Geoff built in 1951. Jean was born in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Victoria, on Sunday July 29, 1923, to Margaret (nee Dunn) and Harold Beckwith. She was educated at Sir James Douglas, Quadra and Monterey Elementary Schools, Oak Bay High School, Victoria College (Craigdarroch) and the Provincial Normal School (now the Young Building of Camosun College). She was predeceased by her husband, Geoff in 2000, her sister Sheila Gould in 2015 and her brother John Beckwith, who passed just two weeks before her. She is survived by 53 offspring: daughters Sharon in Oliver, Wendy (Dennis) in Victoria, Heather and Gail in Shawnigan Lake, Stephanie in Metchosin and their sons Ian (Jodi)in Sooke and Michael in Saanichton, 16 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She also has many step-grandchildren and their families, her brother-in-law Cecil Gould in Victoria, her dearest long-time friends Iris Tweedy of Osoyoos and June Mussenden in Victoria and several nieces and nephews.

Before she married, she taught at Yount School in Youbou, grades 4, 5, & 6 in one classroom, for two years during WWII. Then one very happy year at North Saanich High School at her first Physical Education job, her specialty. She discovered her love for singing at a young age, with her brother and mother in the choir at Christ Church Cathedral. She followed this up years later, after raising her family, with over two decades singing with the City of Gardens Chapter of Sweet Adelines and many years as an active member of the choir at St. Dunstan’s Church.

Jean loved gardening – weeding was actually her favourite – especially with her dahlias in the last three decades. She has many winning ribbons from showing her lovely flowers. She took great joy in sharing her flowers and plants at her stand and donating the proceeds to various charities. Her love of supporting many local charities brought her great pride and joy as well as many friends along the way. She enjoyed traveling, reading, playing Scrabble and bridge, sewing, weeding, driving, dancing, playing and coaching lawn bowling, among other sports. As one of the five founding members of the Gordon Head Lawn Bowling club, she became a certified Umpire and Blind Bowling Coach. Jean dreamed about flying from the age of 10, she achieved that goal by obtaining her pilot’s licence at age 49. Jean was an avid Toronto Blue Jays baseball fan, making many trips to see them play, including attending games at both the 1992 and 1993 World Series. Tennis was a passion in her younger years, winning many trophies as a teenager and playing as a member of the Victoria Racquet Club. She attended Wimbledon more than once and the French Open just a few years ago, hoping to see her heartthrob, Roger Federer, but just missed him by a day.

She was a loyal member and past president of her Mother’s Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, as well as other local chapters in later years. Her love of flowers, music, children, friends, sports and fitness was lifelong. Many thanks to her devoted family physician of many years, Dr. Kier MacMillan and Dr. Elizabeth Thompson and VGH staff for their wonderful care in Jean’s final few days.

A celebration of Jean’s life will take place at St. Luke’s Church on Sunday January 15, 2023 at 2 pm with a reception to follow. Livestream of the service will be available at https://www.stlukesvictoria.ca

Donations in Jean’s memory can be made to The Cridge Centre for the Family or the Alzheimer’s Society of BC.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com

Print Obituary