Ilse Leader
1926 – 2021
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A person can hardly expect to, in a few words, do justice to sum up the life of a truly amazing woman: mother, wife, grandmother, fashion designer, photographer, artist and wonderful friend.
How do you, in a paragraph, describe a woman who grew up in Germany, much of it during the war, who became a young sensation in the fashion industry there, who then left it all to follow love to Canada.
A woman who, when tragedy struck and she was widowed with a young daughter, stayed in this country and successfully ran, for 25 years, her husband’s photographic business, pioneering the way for women in that field.
A woman who found love again, marrying a wheat farmer and raising two sons in the parklands of Alberta, who fifteen years later packed everything up and moved the family to a small island on the west coast, bringing her flair for design and colour to the local arts community while finding joy and beauty in the everyday. A spirit who lived every day of her 95 years with a sense of wonder only to bid it farewell with class; out like a shooting star. She joins her husband(s), son, friends, relatives and a multitude of St. Bernards who passed on before her and leaves behind a son and daughter, grandson and many dear friends and relatives who wish her only the very best on her new journey; viel gluck Ilse! We will miss you but you will be in our hearts always!
In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting the Salt Spring Gallery of Fine Art through donations and/or purchases of local artwork.
Ilse’s final art show and celebration of life is scheduled for the Spring of 2022.
We remember your boy, Tom, taken much too young.
May you be together with him now.