Sally Smith (nee Powell)
SALLY SMITH (nee Powell) was born in Rochford in the UK but moved to Canada with her parents, William and Hilda, and her older sister, Hilary, when she was only two years old.
She grew up on Swanston Avenue in Peterborough, Ontario, and maintained her kindergarten and other childhood friends throughout her life. Following graduation from PCVS (Peterborough) Sally went into nursing training at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, graduating with her RN in 1966. Back to Peterborough for a brief stint in the local hospital and then Sally and fellow Sick Kids graduate Ginny McGill (Root back then) decided to explore Europe, which they did for six months on just $3 a day.
By 1967 Sally was back in Toronto and joined the Victorian Order of Nurses with a home visiting area in East Toronto along the Danforth. Sally found her husband-to-be during that year and after a whirlwind romance David and Sally were married downtown in St James Cathedral in August 1968.
In the summer of 1969 they moved to Vancouver. They remained married, in love and best friends for the next 50 years, producing two children along the way, Andrew in 1973 and Julie a scant 14 months later.
Grass has never grown under the Smith family feet. They moved from Vancouver to Montreal in 1974, then to Unionville in the early ’80s, then to the UK in the late ’80s and ultimately to Guernsey, where David worked as a pilot.
The time spent in Guernsey was particularly happy. David and Sally truly fell in love with the island and the tranquil pace of life, the unfailing courtesy and friendliness of everyone they met and, of course, the food. Seafood, French food, ormers, there was even a Michelin-star restaurant for a while. The picture of Sally with her dog Dazey, right, was taken at St Saviour’s Reservoir, where Sally and David would walk daily. Sally volunteered with the Girl Guides and was a Rainbows leader – a job that she adored.
David and Sally played petanque with the Guernsey Club de Petanque, achieving a level of mediocrity that was almost certain to make their competitors happy. Sally and David were last in Guernsey two summers ago and played in the annual Petanque Open, once again making their competitors happy.
For a number of years they lived in St Saviour’s at Mont Saint, overlooking Perelle, then later in Town near La Collinette Hotel.
They were members of the Gastronomic Club and have made a number of lasting friendships in the community. After graduating from Keele and Edinburgh universities respectively, Sally’s son Andrew and daughter Julie returned to Canada and Sally and David followed once David retired from commercial flying.
For the past decade, the family has lived within walking distance of each other.
In addition to nursing, Sally worked with disadvantaged teens in Vancouver, volunteered as a teacher of illiterate adults in England, gained her Bachelor’s Degree in the History of Art from the University of Southampton, became a docent at the Varley Art Gallery on returning to Markham, and spent her life in building a strong and cohesive family unit which today includes four dearly loved grandchildren.
Sally also made a serious hobby out of culinary artistry and kept the best table and threw splendid dinner parties that were legendary.
In December of 2016 Sally was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer and for a brief while there was some doubt whether she would see 2017, but with the support of her many friends and the skill of numerous doctors at both Markham Stouffville Hospital and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre she gained another 14 months and achieved her final goal, which was preparing and hosting family Christmas dinner for a dozen family members just two months ago.
Sally’s life will be celebrated at Dixon-Garland Funeral Home in Markham, Ontario on Saturday 17 March.
DS