Aug 3, 1941 - Jan 29, 2018
The first 74 years of Ann's 76 years were a version of the Canadian dream. She was born on August 3, 1941 in Winnipeg to Newton and Clara Davies, but grew up in Esquimalt, BC. While a nursing student at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, she met Officer Cadet Robert (Bob) Stewart at a dance at Royal Roads Military College, and they married in 1962.
Bob's naval career was short, but his engineering degree took them to Ontario, Illinois, Oregon, England, Malaysia and BC. They lived in 13 houses in their first 14 years. Later, Bob took over Delta Steel Industries in Ladner, and they stayed put in Tsawwassen in a cliffside house. On Bob's retirement, they designed and built their retirement home on Chilliwack Mountain.
While Bob was working, Ann was raising three sons. As they grew independent, Ann worked in Bob's company keeping the books.
Ann loved to travel, and she was proud that she and Bob had visited 29 countries, every Canadian province and every American state. She was an avid sports fan, and curled for many years. Ann was an active member of her community and her church and well loved by many, including her friends from her days as a nursing student, friends she met through Bob's military and business careers and hobbies, and her many Beta Sigma Phi sorority sisters.
The dream came apart in her last year. In April 2017, they were about to go on a three-month trip around the world when Bob was accidently killed while clearing their property in Chilliwack after an ice storm. Ann grievously missed her husband of 54 yeas but bravely busied herself establishing a new life. When an extremely aggressive cancer overtook her, she faced her pending death with the same remarkable courage, protecting her family to the end. She died in Chilliwack's Cascade Hospice on January 29, 2018.
She is survived by her three sons: Ron, Brian and Darrell; their wives: Kathleen, Jo-Ann and Tamara; three grandchildren from Brian: Kristi, Michael and Bailey; two step grandchildren and a great grandchild from Tamara; and Ann's brother, John Davies with his wife Lynne, daughters Janine, Susanne and Anne-Marie and grandchildren.
A funeral will be held on February 7 at 2:00 pm at Chilliwack United Church, 45835 Spadina Ave., Chilliwack BC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.