L. Alda Isaac (nee Hobbs)

I was deeply saddened to hear of Alda’s passing and my condolences go out to all who knew her. Any time spent with Alda will have left a distinctive mark of knowing how special she was. Her soft and reassuring voice of reason coupled with John’s jovial teasing will always be in my heart and I will greatly miss my “tea and muffins” on my touring visits to their wonderful warm home.

I am greatly touched to be remembered in the stories and condolence notes seen above. I may never have met Alda & John’s family members but I certainly was treated to pictures and stories every time I visited. I feel honoured and happy to share with you a couple of memories, amongst many, of time spent with Alda & John.

My best friend and I, in an adventurous stage at age 21 or so, had decided that we must go camping on Vancouver Island. She was based out of Vancouver and I was visiting from Toronto but decided that our “adventure” would best start from Alda & John’s house. When I called to ask if we could stay for one night before we headed out to our campsite I should have realized that that was not all the comfort and care we would receive. We were picked up at the ferry terminal, plied with the yummiest of food, given ample to take with us on our 2 night adventure, driven to the campsite and picked up afterwards to be delivered back to the ferry terminal. And years later I also found out that John had spoken to the Campground’s warden to make sure he kept an extra special eye on us – there was just no way that Alda was going to have anything untoward or as we might have called it “adventurous” happen to us. Anyway, we had a great time – the weather was perfect and we lacked nothing and Laurie and I remain best friends.

Another time I visited, I counted on Alda’s strength and support – I had decided to visit my estranged grandfather on my own, having only met him once before briefly when I was 13. I was very nervous and nearly backed out but Alda was there for me (again John drove me and picked me up) to give me courage and fortitude. This visit would become the 2nd and last time I met him. I may never have done this without Alda – there is no doubt that I am the better for knowing and loving Alda.

For Judy – I will be in High River, AB performing on Feb 17th and would love to try to continue the “tea & muffins” tradition. Also I am on the island in Sidney, BC performing on Feb 6th.

I, too, hope the service went well yesterday and am only sorry we couldn’t be there. Thank you Rob for your memories. Dolly was my dad’s (half) sister – although that never mattered. Aunt Dolly was a “Taylor” and my dad was Charlie Taylor, the tall Police Lieutenant of the Ottawa Police Department. Alice was the wife of Richard Taylor (Dolly’s brother) and Alice was a Silver Cross mother and lived until she was 102 in Ottawa.

I well remember Alda visiting the Hobbs’ family around Carp and Arnprior – she was great at keeping in touch and wanting to see all the family as much as she could. I had forgotten about Uncle Andy’s budgie on his nose!! and also the smell of home baking!! I tried to get Aunt Dolly’s recipie for scones – but it was “a little of this” and “and little of that” – not exactly in the books!! Uncle Andy’s garden in Westboro was full of superb tomatoes!!

Thank you for reviving old memories; with Andy and Dolly gone, Weldon, Gordon and now Alda, it is the end of an era and Alda will be sorely missed. I moved to England after marrying an Englishman who I met in Japan when I worked there for the Canadian Embassy in the late 1950’s; and he flew for BOAC (now BA) at that time, we did get to see Alda and John a few years ago after much nagging from Alda that we never did come to Victoria!! Short but great visit. Best wishes

Marian Mason

I was pleased to see the “message of condolence” from Marion Mason. If I’m correct, Marion’s father would have been Alda’s mother, Dolly’s brother; and her mother would have been Alice(?),the 100 years plus Remembrance Day Mum not very long ago. I mention this because every time I saw Alda on her many visits back from beyond the mountains to Ontario, she had either just gone to see her aunt or was just about to. This was Alda – she never forgot her far-off family. She not only phoned and corresponded regularly, she brought her warmth and good cheer right to your home. And she invited you to hers, at every opportunity. We, all of her Ottawa Valley family, shall miss Alda terribly.
My mother, Phyllis Hobbs’, father(Earl) was Alda’s father, Andy’s, first cousin. Their Hobbs forebearers Immigrated from Ireland to the Valley in the early 19th century. Alda and her siblings, my mother and hers, and the Sample offspring (via Pearl Hobbs, Earl’s sister), all lived within 30 miles of each other, from Ottawa to Carp to Arnprior. During the financial trials of the Dirty Thirties, family gatherings, fall fairs, feast days, birthdays, and cousinly sleep-overs were major events for the youngsters. Nobody could forget Alda’s special self from those days; nor could she forget them. Marion Mason recalled Alda’s brother Weldon in her message above; My mother kept a photo of Weldon, resplendent in his full uniform, posed proudly beside his Lancaster bomber, and so very young, on her dressing-table for the rest of her life.
Some of you able to attend Alda’s Memorial today will remember Dolly and Andy, her parents, who moved to Victoria (where else, but to be under Alda’s caring eyes) for their final years. Their home in Ottawa was the prototype for Alda’s – always open for family and friends. No matter how many or when people dropped by, Dolly always had fresh baking and ample food for them. Andy seemed to be everyone’s best friend, and no wonder, because he was the longtime OTC streetcar conductor (as the drivers were known in those days) who transported everyone out of the city along the Ottawa River to Britannia Beach, the best swimming and skating park in the area. It was a real treat when I as a youngster or young teen-ager would be invited to stay over for a few days. Aunt Dolly would ply me with chocolate cake while I watched Uncle Andy reading the newspaper with his parakeet perched on his glasses – it was only a matter of time before that little bird dropped his deposit neatly into Andy’s earlobe. There was a lot of laughter in that house.
Of course, Alda was far away by then; but because of her ever-continuing contact with us all her name was never far from our lips. ” Have you heard from Alda recently?” or “According to Alda’s latest letter… ‘ were common utterances. Many of us took up Alda’s invitations to visit, though not as often her and Jack’s, then her and John’s, rounds east. John took my father salmon fishing in the Pacific, and Dad took John muskie fishing in the Ottawa. Alda brought Saskatoon berry jam, and Mum sent the Hobbs chili sauce back with her. John Hobbs (my mother’s brother Harris’ son) took his wife, Linda, to visit John and Alda on their honeymoon. My wife, Gwen, who’s from Victoria, got at least as big a welcome from Alda and John as she did from her own relatives. My daughter, Clea, a dancer with Ballet Jorgen Canada, was welcomed every year when on tour. The list could go on and on. When an aging and infirm friend of Gwen’s and mine in Victoria needed help, Alda, no spring chicken herself, was right there.
My last conversation with Alda, though difficult and disjointed, ended true to form: “You know, Rob, you and your family are welcome at my house anytime.” I knew.

An aside to Judy (I think), John’s daughter, niece ( I apologise for my ignorance). Thank you for getting the information about Alda’s death and memorial to us. As you probably know, the above-mentioned John Hobbs arranged for Alda’s obituary to run in the Ottawa Citizen on Boxing Day. If there are plans to record the memorial, please send a copy to me and I’ll see that it gets distributed in this part of the world. For that matter, I think that during our last phone conversation Alda mentioned some kind of record of John’s memorial, which I again “think” she was unable to attend. Even a copy of the order of events would be nice to have, from both memorials, and of John’s full obituary from the funeral home – we here know so little of John’s family. If there are any “eastern” family photos you’d care to pass on, they’d be most welcome. Another useful memento, whether the original or a copy, would be Alda’s address book, so that I could notify some of those who would have missed the Ottawa obituary. If there’s expense involved I would happily re-imburse you. May today’s event go well.

It was with great sadness that I learned of Alda’s passing. She was my Dad’s (Dr. Andrew Reid) office nurse for 17 years. Alda was truly caring and compassionate to the patients and always kept the office running so smoothly. I wish to extend my deepest sympathy to her family. May she rest in peace.
With Warmest Regards,
Sheila Mattson

Our deepest sympathies go out to Alda’s family at this sad time. Alda was a loving, compassionate lady, always ready to help, always ready with a smile. We miss her so much but will never forget her and her care for both Jake and Rupert who both loved her dearly.
We pray she is now at peace with her loving parents and her dear husband, John.
Farewell dear friend….so many happy memories you have left behind.