SECKER o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-06-21 published
WALLACE,
Matthew
Maurice ''Mo'' (Long term Confederation Life
Employee, World War 2 Veteran, avid bridge player)
Died peacefully, on June 19, 2003, in his 81st year, at the Toronto
East General Hospital. Loving husband of 55 years to Hazel and
much loved father of Sean, Tony and his fiancée Barb
SECKER,
Erin WALLACE and her husband Steve
BROWN, and Laura
WALLACE.
Cherished Grand-Dad and ''Zaide'' of Naomi and Colin
BROWN, and
Sarah and Rachel
BECKERMAN.
Sadly missed brother of Virginia
WALLACE and predeceased by his dear sister Barbara. Fondly remembered
Godfather of Jeanne
SHEMILT and her family. ''Mo'' will always
be remembered by his many Friends and relatives. As he wished,
his body has been donated to the Division of Anatomy at the University
of Toronto. Mo's family will receive Friends at the Sherrin Funeral
Home, 873 Kingston Road (west of Victoria Park Avenue), Toronto
(416) 698-2861, on Sunday, June 22, 2003 from 4 - 6 p.m. We will
celebrate a life lived well in the funeral home chapel on Monday
at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Anne Frank House,
would be appreciated by the family.
S... Names SE... Names SEC... Names Welcome Home
SECKER - All Categories in OGSPI
SECORD o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-08-06 published
Laura Barbara
DICKSON/DIXON
By Ruth TAILOR/TAYLOR
Wednesday,
August 6, 2003 - Page A16
Mother, grandmother, poet. Born May 7, 1907, in Nelson Township,
Ontario Died July 6, in Eden Mills, Ontario, of natural causes,
aged 96.
Born
Laura
Barbara
PRUDHAM on the family farm, my mother was
the daughter of Charles and Anna
(PICKETT)
PRUDHAM.
She was a
fifth-generation Canadian, a grand-niece of Laura
SECORD.
She
was the middle child of a family of five, with two older brothers
and two younger sisters. Proud of her heritage, Laura was destined
to become the family historian.
Laura had many wonderful memories of her childhood: of Christmas
trees lit with real candles, of rides over the crisp snow to
church, sleigh bells jingling all the way. She had vivid memories
of the first automobile, the first airplane. She lived through
two world wars and the Great Depression, saw man walk on the
moon.
The farm was a busy place, with everyone contributing: Laura
raised chickens, milked cows, made butter, sold produce at the
Hamilton Market. They left the farm at 2: 30 a.m. to travel through
the snowy roads in winter. Bricks were heated in the wood stove,
put in the bottom of the horse-drawn sleigh box for warmth. Buffalo
robes helped keep them warm on that long dark trip. In summer,
they worked the farm fields from dawn until dusk; the only day
of rest, Sunday.
It was Laura's dream to go on to high school after passing the
entrance exam, but it was not to be; she was required at home.
A determined young lady, she took courses, and studied independently.
She won two scholarships for short courses at the Macdonald Institute,
now the University of Guelph.
Laura taught Sunday School, she played the church organ after
teaching herself to play the piano, she sang in the choir. Along
with her sister, Anna, they became a popular singing duo in the
area. Tea Meetings, and young people's groups were a part of
her life within the church. Laura and Friends produced plays
to entertain and compete in the area.
Laura met her husband, Lorne
DICKSON/DIXON, at a community dance. They
dated, and were married February 14, 1940. They resided on the
DICKSON/DIXON family farm, Limestone Hall, near Milton, Ontario, where
they farmed until 1961. Lorne and Laura's children, Ruth and
Robert, grew up on that farm, a wonderful place for children.
Laura's many hobbies included watercolour and oil painting, photography,
gardening, baking, and most of all, writing. Walks in the spring
wildflowers inspired her first lines of poetry. Later she wrote:
"I took a walk in the woods today / Down winding paths where
I used to play." She had three books of poetry published, including
Changing Seasons in 1997. She won the Milton Heritage Writing
Award in 1998 for her collective works. Her poetry was chosen
in 2001 to be part of a diary of new and established Canadian
poets.
Laura was a life member of the Women's Institute, and lived by
their motto "For Home and Country." She was a life member of
the Women's Missionary Society, a member of the Milton Horticulture
Society, and the Milton Historical Society.
In later years, after Lorne passed away, her greatest love became
her grandchildren; they gave her many years of joy. She loved
to play, and led them on adventures to the mall, travelling all
over on the bus, supplying treats as only grandmothers can. She
listened to their dreams, gave encouragement. All the while,
she continued to record her life in poetry.
She loved her family, her community, her country -- she was one
of that special group of women, born around the turn of the 20th
century, who had to create their own opportunities, find their
way in a world that was not quite ready to give equality to women.
Laura accomplished a great many things, and through it all, she
remained a lady, loved and respected by all who had the pleasure
of knowing her.
Ruth TAILOR/TAYLOR is Laura's daughter.
S... Names SE... Names SEC... Names Welcome Home
SECORD o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-10-20 published
Died
This
Day -- Laura
SECORD, 1868
Monday, October 20, 2003 - Page R7
Farmer and heroine of Upper Canada, born Laura
INGERSOLL on September
13, 1775, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.; on the night of
June 22, 1813, overheard two American officers billeted in her
house near Queenston Heights discuss plan to attack a nearby
British post; sometimes leading a cow as a decoy, walked 30 kilometres
through American lines to warn British forces; U.S. mounted attack
only to be ambushed and captured by British and loyal Iroquois
died in Chippawa, near Niagara Falls.
S... Names SE... Names SEC... Names Welcome Home
SECORD - All Categories in OGSPI