Obituary of Frances Whidden

Whidden, Frances Margaret, 97, of Port Williams passed away on May 10, 2013 at home. Frances, or Peggy as she was known, was born in West Kirby, Cheshire, England on April 30, 1916, the daughter of Edward Eric and Edith Roberta Billington; she was predeceased by her parents, three younger brothers, Robert, Gwynn and John, and husband, the Rev. Dr. Evan McDonald Whidden. She is survived by her daughter Roberta with whom she has lived for the past eighteen years and who has been her principal caregiver, and sons Christopher and his wife Joyce of Orlando, Florida, and John and his wife Helen of Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She is also survived by granddaughters Hilary of New York, Elinor (Jess Abraham) of Toronto, Erica (Harley Titchener) of London and Margaret (Chris Stanhope) of Revelstoke, BC, as well as great-grandsons Eli Abraham and William Titchener. She came to Canada in 1940 in a tumultuous wartime Atlantic crossing, married a year later and moved to Wolfville where her husband taught in the Faculty of Theology of Acadia University. Between 1967, when he retired, and her death she has lived successively in Matlock, Derbyshire, in Cornwall, Kenmore and St. Catharines, Ontario, in San Rafael, California, and in Port Williams. In each of those places, until her strength failed, she involved herself with dedication in community and volunteer activities, and was a much beloved and sturdy anchor for the entire family. Donations in Peggy??s memory may be made to: Annapolis Valley Health- Palliative Care, EKM Community Health Centre, 23 Earnscliffe Ave., Wolfville, NS, B4P 1X4; VON Annapolis Valley, 46 Chipman Dr., Kentville, NS B4N 3V7; Wolfville Food Bank, Wolfville Area Interchurch Council, PO Box 2270, Wolfville, NS B4P 2N5. Cremation has taken place. A service to celebrate and give thanks for Peggy??s life will be held on Monday May 27th at 2:30 PM at the Manning Memorial Chapel at Acadia University, Wolfville, NS. On-line condolences may be made through www.annapolisvalleyfuneralhome.com