Olive Pickering

Olive Winifred Pickering (Prior)

It is with peaceful hearts that the family of Olive Winifred Pickering shares the news that she is together once again with her loving husband, Douglas “Pick” Pickering in Heaven where he has patiently waited for her for nearly 20 years. Olive is the matriarch of an extensive family tree with branches all across Canada. “Grannie” has 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and even 4 great-great-grandchildren!

Olive and Pick brought five children into the world, Vicki (Ken), Richard (Patricia), Penelope (Jim), Nowell who went to be with Jesus at his birth, and Jodi (Jim). Olive was born in Sheering, Bishop's Stortford, England, and being the brave and determined young woman she was, accepted the call to serve in the British Army after the start of WW2. Enter “Pick”, the handsome, blue-eyed Canadian Soldier whom Olive met at a dance. Olive and Pick fell in love and in the summer of 1943 they got married at the beautiful stone church in Olive's home village, Pick in uniform, and Olive carrying yellow roses.  

After the war, Olive and 2-year-old Vicki crossed the Atlantic Ocean on board the Mortania and docked at Pier 21 like so many other courageous War Brides did in those years. From Halifax, mother and daughter took the train all the way to meet Pick in Toronto, where they began their life in Canada, taking the time to go dancing whenever they could.

In keeping with her courageous tendencies, Olive entered the workforce at a time when working moms were less common than today. She held supervisory roles at the Joseph Brant, McMaster, and Henderson Hospitals and retired in 1987. In the early ’90s, she and Pick, known to his grandchildren as "Pop", came to live with their daughter Jodi and her family in Townsend. Grannie and Pop spent their retirement in the fresh air, enjoying walking the Townsend paths together, dancing at the Legion at Vets' Night, and traveling West to see their other children and grandchildren in Alberta and British Columbia from time to time.

Olive stayed in Townsend, spending these last years at Parkview Meadows in her cozy suite filled with cherished treasures, lavender sachets, and frequent visits and phone calls from friends and loved ones.

Our family will hold private moments of remembrance for Olive. In lieu of flowers, friends and community members are encouraged to make a donation to the Hagersville Legion Branch 164, where Olive and Pick were members for many years.  

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."             --1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

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