12th July 1926 - 9th January 2011
Patricia Leslie Holmes, nee Siddens, died in the evening of 9th January 2011 at Saanich Peninsula Hospital. Pat was born at Dunsley Manor in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England, only daughter of Harry & Sylvia Siddens and schooled at Lawnside School, Malvern. Pat spent her early childhood engrossed in horses with her best friend Danny. She joined the WRNS during the Second World War and served in Plymouth, Devon, where she met her future husband Desmond Holmes, a Canadian from Victoria, serving in the British Army in the Royal Engineers and they married in 1947. Together they raised five children Victoria, Richard, Patrick, Peter & Michael. Pat raised her first two children, Vicky & Richard, with the help of Dede in North Devon while Des served in Korea in 1950-52. As a military family Pat & Des, & children travelled extensively first to Fort Belvoir, USA, where Patrick was born in 1953, back to England, then Northern Nigeria 1957-61, back to England where Peter and Michael were born, and then Aden 1963-65. With his retirement from the British Army, the family returned to Des's native Victoria and Pat established Sherwood Creek Farm, a notable and chaotic farm and riding stables in Metchosin amongst a diverse assembly of horses, riders, and menagerie of animals.
After almost 20 years in Metchosin Pat & Des moved to the family cottage at Maltby Lake and later to Saanichton. Desmond was hospitalized in 1990 and did not recover. Her beloved daughter Vicky died in 1997 from leukemia and Pat moved back to England for 5 years recapturing her
English roots in Abbotsbury, riding and walking the Dorset hills. Returning to Canada, Pat spent her last few years in Sidney closer to her family. Pat is survived by her son-in-law Jean-Philippe Plomb (Vicky) and by her sons Richard (Susan), Patrick (Val), Peter (Danielle) & Michael, her grandchildren Nicole, Martine, Joelle, Chantal, Alexander, Tara, Morgan, Ben, Chelsea, Katy, Harry, Wildy, Caroline, Jacqueline, and great grandchildren Christopher, Oceane, Gabi, Charlie, Amelia & Keel and Harry her dog. Pat was a remarkable lady and led a life of adventure, had a special love and expertise for horses and dogs, and a warm and welcoming spirit to family, many friends and strangers, two footed and four footed alike.
An announcement will be made shortly with respect to a Memorial to be held in February.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccallbros.com. or to holmesrns@shaw.ca
McCall's of Victoria, BC • 250-385-4465