Grandma Gill

Grandma (Edith) Gill just died this morning at the climax age of 98. She was the most dignified, respectful, stoic, kind and polite person I knew. Really, this marks the passing of an era; nowadays there aren't many people with the discipline she had for presenting herself and treating everyone around her with kindness and respect.
She came across from England as a girl and was raised in Vancouver, where she met my Grandfather. He was in the city on some judicial business (I think he was on the 'law-abiding' side...) and she was also on some sort of courtly duty with her work. They met and coyly went their seperate ways for a short time before beginning a correspondence. After a lengthy courtship of about six months she moved to Cranbrook where they were married. Shortly after they had twins, Allan (my dad) and Carl. They moved to Kimberley for a spell and then eventually ended up in Princeton where my Grandfather was the game warden for quite a few years. They spent their lives wandering around the bush in Princeton, hunting and fishing (and she tolerated much of my Grandfathers 'prankful' manners). After he died she carried on in her stoic manner fighting gun regulations, sending young shooters to shooting matches and being an active and important member of the local gun club. A lifetime away from her English and lower mainland big city upbringing.
Her classic response to "How are you doing Grandma?" was always, at worst: "not too bad". That was as much complaining as she ever did, even after living alone in her house, losing her sight and becoming less independent, moving into a small extended care facility and then to a higher level care away from her home town of 60+ years. I wish I was as tough as her.
Hopefully right now she's riding around in the Jimmy on a sunny day with Grandpa, shooting at cans with his service revolver.

Yes, that's a target full of holes. Edie = Badass.