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Patricia Day

October 28, 2015

It is with immense love and sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our mother, PATRICIA ELAINE DAY (nee McPHIE), in Summerland on October 28, 2015.

Born in Edmonton, the fourth of ten children over the span of 15 years, Mom was raised knowing that life is not fair or easy, that anything worth doing is worth doing right and to make the best of what you have. Her family lived for a time in a small cabin on Pigeon Lake in Alberta and we often heard stories of trudging through miles of deep snow, or skating along the lake (once or twice falling through the thin ice), to get to the one-room schoolhouse.

The daughter and sister of Air Force pilots, Pat enlisted in the Canadian Women's Army Corps on her 18th birthday and was promoted to Corporal the following year. She was proud to have served her country during World War II.

Mom knew hardship as a divorcee with a young son in 1950, working full-time to provide for her son the best she could with what little she had. She met the love of her life, Robert George Day (Bob), in a square-dancing group and remarried in 1954. In the early 1960s the family relocated to Sidney, BC, where they raised their son and three daughters. While Dad worked long hours, Mom looked after the house, the children, plus held a number of jobs to help make ends meet. She went without a new dress for years, but somehow put her daughters through dance classes, swimming and riding lessons.

Our Mom taught us the value of perseverance, the importance of integrity and that love of family is everything. Even in the last 6 years, as Alzheimer's stole her away, she still had her upside down smile, her wonderful sense of humour and gentle loving soul.

We will be forever thankful for the caring staff and volunteers at Summerland Seniors Village, who have been a part of Mom's family for the past five and a half years.

Pat leaves her son John (Miki) of Sidney and daughters Heather (Jivko) Jeliazkov of Victoria, Janet (Neil) Stenseth of Summerland and Cathryn Day of Langley, grandchildren James Corbett (John), Gabrielle and Sofia Jeliazkov (Heather), and Nicole and Emily Pinard (Janet), three great-grandchildren, sisters June Bulat and Shirly Woodman and brother Alan McPhie, numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends. She has been reunited with her loving husband Bob, who passed away in 2010, with her brothers Alex, Bob and John, and her sister Betty.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in remembrance of Patricia Day to the Alzheimer's Society of B.C. Condolences may be sent to the family through:

www.providence funeral homes.com



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