Janet Freda Williamson

Janet "Freda" Williamson passed from this world into eternity at the Victoria Hospice in Victoria, British Columbia just before dawn on June 1st, 2020. The rising sun that shone through her window that morning and illuminated her peaceful form was just a shadow of the beauty of the Kingdom of Heaven into which she had entered. Eighty-six years before she was born to Isabel and Fred on August 4, 1933, in Northern Ontario, when the Great Depression held the world in a grip of scarcity. She was supposed to be a boy, so she got a middle name adapted to suit a pretty little girl with trademark dark curly hair. She joined a sister, Joyce and then after her came Ann, Fred, and Jaqueline (Jackie) to fill their small home. The stories Freda chose to tell of her childhood were few revealed a strong and determined spirit. In the eyes of her children she became famous (or infamous, depending upon your point of view) for locking her little sister Ann in the chicken coop and then virtuous for skiing in the winter to a neighboring farm so her newest little sister Jackie could have fresh milk, and interesting because she played the Trombone. Every Christmas her father would play his fiddle and sing "O Holy Night". That song had the power to bring a tear to her eye each and every Christmas.
After high school Freda's life story took on slightly (ahem) more color. Freda the Brave moved to the big city of Toronto to attend nursing school. St. Michael's Hospital was a residential teaching hospital run by the Catholic Church. The Sisters ruled over their young trainees with firm resolve but spirited Freda, along with her new nursing pals, found ways to make life in the dormitories a time they would never forget. Turns out life in a Catholic residential nursing school involved some skill in sneaking things past the Sisters. Oh, and they still found the time and energy to master the gentle but firm (read "bossy") art of nursing.
After graduating from "Saint Mike's" Freda packed a steamer trunk and boarded a train for wayyyy west, New Westminster BC that is. There she heard about a little city in Northern BC that needed nurses, and so without knowing that much about it, Freda and her trusty trunk disembarked at Prince George, BC. Who knew that Prince Charming lived in Prince George and was selling shoes? But indeed, he was. Stewart Chester Williamson captured her heart after he gallantly returned the shoes that Freda had left behind at a party the night before. Ahem, a Cinderella story, anyone?
Dear readers, the shoe in fact, did fit and on the first day of summer, 1957 she married her "Stew". Together they had four beloved children, Catherine Anne, Michael Stewart, Margaret Anne, and Kelli Anne, along with a host of dogs, birds, fish and (reluctantly) a cat or two. Luckily, Freda had a magic finger that could stop errant children and pets in their tracks! The light saber had nothing on that finger. In the late 1960s the family moved to first Kamloops, BC then to the lovely little burg of Sorrento BC. The family was neither poor nor rich, but well provided for through sacrifice and hard work by Freda and Stew. Freda and Stew made close friendships, especially with the Connors and Jacobs families and bonded over shared faith, endless Shuswap summers roasting in the sun, campfire smores and a drink or three. After Stew, Freda's great love, died in 1995, she retired from nursing and travelled the world, but it did not fill the empty place inside that he left. Luckily, she had the greatest antidote: grandchildren. Megan, Angela, Glenn, Kaitlyn, and Alicia. Truly they blessed her with their sweetness, their exuberance, the sound of their laughter in the sun, having adventures with their friends at the lake Freda so loved. The shadow of cancer had arrived three times and passed. It didn't stop her singing in the church choir for many years. Freda moved to Victoria eight years ago and quickly became known as "a character". "Freda is so feisty" was a frequent comment. Those who knew her marvelled at her independence, her will. Freda would talk with anyone and made many dear friends with whom she lunched and laughed and compared gardens. As her years accumulated, so did her "filters" decrease, adding humorously to the body of stories already told of her. The cachet of moving to an assisted living apartment in the upscale community of Oak Bay in 2017 was rather lost on her but she grew attached to her little apartment and crew of admiring caregivers and dinner companions. She was diagnosed with an old enemy, cancer of the mouth, in February 2020. If anyone could deal with cancer and the lack of a haircut in isolation due to a pandemic it was Feisty Freda. (Truth: she was ticked by the lack of a haircut). "Cope" had a name, and it was ice cream. A few days before she entered Hospice a care aide spotted her returning from Dairy Queen balancing a large sundae on her walker.
In accordance with Freda's wishes for palliative only care, Freda entered the Victoria Hospice and quickly became legend. Within twelve hours she became known as "Feisty Freda" after getting out of bed on her own and wandering the hallway.
She was, during her final days, surrounded by the presence and love of daughters Kelli and Margaret and comforted by the voices of son Michael, her daughter Cathy, and her grandchildren over the phone. Old friends and relatives visited. Hospice staff cared for her with incredible compassion and gentleness. She knew where she was going-to be with her savior and to be with Stew again. Freda was predeceased by her father Fred, mother Isabel, husband Stewart, brother Fred, sisters Ann and Joyce. She is survived by her sister Jackie, her children Cathy, Michael, Margaret, and Kelli. Also, by her grandchildren, Angela, Megan, Glenn, Kaitlyn, Alicia and great grandchildren Miles, Mia, Ada, Raylan, Charlie and as of July 2020, great grandson Murphy. Mother, Wife, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt and Friend, she deeply loved us all though the shadow that had been her constant companion made it, at times, difficult. But love, as it always does, triumphed in the end. Heartfelt thanks to the following people and organizations: To Carey Place and the staff of Marrion Village, Dr. Marlene Muller, for her excellent care and compassion. To all her friends, for their faithfulness and stories. To Manesh and Priti Bhatella of Elements Pharmacy for whom Mom had a special spot in her heart. To the Saanich and the Oak Bay Volunteers, her caseworkers at Island Health, and Home Care Nurses. Finally, no words are possible to finally thank everyone at the Victoria Hospice, who allowed "Feisty" Freda to pass naturally with peace, dignity, and compassion. The people who work there are angels walking this earth. Also, in accordance with Freda's wishes, there will be no funeral but instead a celebration of life, that will take place later in 2020. Her family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in her name to one of the following charities that Freda supported and who supported her: the Victoria Hospice, Baptist Housing Ministries, The Canadian Cancer Society, Our Place Society, and the BC SPCA. "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" John 14: 2 NKJV.