Judith Carolyn van Duren

Judith Carolyn van Duren, 70, died in the Palliative Care unit of the Colchester East Hants Health Centre in Truro on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.

In spite of a devastating diagnosis, she counted her blessings and passed from this life with grace, dignity and courage. Judith was born in Montreal on June 21, 1947, the daughter of Ross and Bess Silversides. She met her husband Charles at the University of Guelph in 1969 and they were married a year later. After graduation, Judith worked at a variety of jobs before returning to university to earn her M.SC. in Extension Education from the University of Guelph in 1986. This resulted in a job at Alberta’s Athabasca University where she worked for twenty-one years. When not gardening, Judith volunteered as a literacy tutor, sat on the library board and worked with the Communities in Bloom committee that earned the Town of Athabasca the “5 Blooms” designation in 2005.

To escape the long, cold, dark northern winter, Judith and Charles started travelling to Mexico and learning the Spanish language. Upon their retirement in 2007, Judith and Charles moved to Soley Cove in Lower Economy. Judith joined the Cobequid Garden Club and earned a Master Gardener certification from the Agricultural College in Truro. She volunteered at the Bass River Com- munity Health Centre blood clinic and served on the boards of the Veterans Memorial Park and the Elizabeth Bishop Society. Rug hooking became a passion involving weekly gatherings of the Economy Rug Hookers, the annual rug school in May, and the regional hookins in the summer.

The trips to Mexico and Central America continued and five winters spent in a village of weavers in Oaxaca, Mexico, resulted in Judith and Charles being “adopted” by a local family.

Judith was pre-deceased by her parents and by her brother Brian. Judith’s generosity of spirit will be missed by family and friends far and wide. She is especially missed by Charles, her partner, friend, and husband of 49 years and by her old tabby cat, Barley.

Cremation has taken place. At Judith’s request, no service is planned.

Immense thanks to Dr. Karen Ewing and to the staff of the CEHHA Palliative Care unit. Words are not adequate.

Judith asked that you support the volunteers and organizations that support you and your community, and above all, that you be kind to yourself and to each other. Arrangements have been entrusted to Colchester Community Funeral Home where an extended version of this obituary and online condolences may be made at: www.colchestercommunity.com