Monica Mary Oldham

Monica did not believe in straight lines but enjoyed a riot of colour and life which was reflected in her beautiful wild, abundant garden, and friends. A relaxed and gracious host, Monica's home was the hub of the community with people constantly stopping by to share news, ideas and the food from her garden. Her door was always open-literally and all were welcomed with her joyful greeting "Hello!" and she would offer you a bowl of her delicious homemade soup with ingredients from her garden and freshly baked bread heated on her old oil stove (which is still going!) and there was a spray of seasonal wildflowers in a vase on the table. Many ideas were discussed, debates hashed out, much joy and laughter. Monica's annual Boxing Day parties were a favorite event bringing her community together. Monica grew up in Cobble Hill during the depression on a small hobby farm. After completing high school at Queen Margaret's School she attended the Banff School of Fine Arts. In her early twenties she trained as an Occupational Therapist. Always adventurous and curious, as a young woman she travelled throughout Europe, Australia and worked on a ranch in Montana. A proficient writer she worked as a news reporter in Duncan where she fought successfully to have the obituaries of people of local First Nations published in the paper. A few years after her son Jeremy Oldham was born in 1961, they moved to New Zealand and Australia where she worked as an OT. They settled back in Victoria where she obtained her teacher's certificate at the University of Victoria. She purchased a small house on a quaint property in Oak Bay where she resided until her death. She was a pioneer of organic gardening and taught in schools in Victoria and Prince Rupert. Throughout her life Monica wrote and illustrated wonderful stories and poems. Later in life many of her provocative, humorous letters to the editor were published in the TC. Her grandson's Daniel and Julian Oldham loved her stories and her ecological wisdom. Monica never cowed to social convention, she lived with the integrity of her philosophy ‘take only what you need, no more and NEVER waste'. Throughout her life in her professional work and as an activist, she was concerned with the long term impacts of human greed on the environment and human communities. Monica never shied from an opportunity to debate and educate. Compassionate and loyal she understood the deeper truths in life.
In memory of Monica please plant a wildflower in a tidy space.
A service will be held at St. Matthias Church, Victoria on Aug.12th at 1:00 pm

Celebration of Life