Deirdre Hellicar
June 10, 1932 – August 12, 2015
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our mother, Deirdre Hellicar on August 12, 2015. “Dee” as everyone called her, wishes you to know her work is done here and she is now finally at rest, she has joined her beloved husband and our father, Barry John Hellicar, who preceded her death July 2nd, 1993.
Dee was born in Piddinghoe, West Sussex England to Albert Edwin and Louisa Luke, on June 10th, 1935. Dee attended the High School for Girls in Worthing and then went on to work as a secretary for Roberts and Son, the Worthing Wine Merchants, and then as a legal secretary for the R.W.H. Green Sons solicitor firm in London, England before she moved to Edmonton in 1958. Dee then moved to Yellowknife in 1960 and worked as a secretary at the Giant Yellowknife Gold Mines where she met and “wrangled a proposal” (in her words) from our Dad, Barry John Hellicar, who was a geologist-surveyor for the same mine. After they married in September 1960, Dee and Barry moved to Comox, BC where they raised a family. Dee was also preceded in death by her sister and long-time companion Jean Louise Brown, who ran the Wysteria Guest House Bed & Breakfast with, for over 20 years. Dee & Jean, the two “Wysteria Sisters” were joined at the hip for many years traveling and enjoying life together. Jean sadly passed away in December 2012 after returning to England in 2010 to be with her family there. Dee worked hard all her life and was an amazing mother, friend and nana. She loved to sew, garden renovate houses with her husband, meet new people & travel. Dee loved to tell stories of her life with Barry and her children and had a great sense of humour and memory for detail. She was a woman of extraordinary beauty, was amazingly smart and talented in so many things, she was an extremely hard worker and had a fierce passion and love of life. Dee died peacefully in her sleep at Lady Minto Extended Care where she lived for the past several years. Dee’s children wish to thank all the staff at Lady Minto ECU for the passion they showed when taking care of their mother, we will forever be grateful for your compassion and kindness towards her in making sure she lived comfortably until her passing.
Dee is preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Louisa, her brothers George and Albert Luke, her sister Jean Louise Brown and her son-in-law Steven Leigh Stevenson. Dee is survived by her three children – Deborah Hellicar-Stevenson, Catherine Luedtke & Adam Hellicar and her grandson Luke Barry Hellicar-Stevenson, Her son Adam and his partner Paulina Astorquiza Ortiz, are going to give Dee a granddaughter this October, Dee sadly will never meet her. As they say God Giveth and God Taketh, a new precious life replacing the lost one. Dee will be greatly missed by all that knew her.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, contributions may be made to The Lady Minto Extended Care Foundation – http://ladymintofoundation.com/how-you-can-help/make-a-donation/