As I am writing this, I already feel as if I have divulged a state secret.  My mother never disclosed her age.  "I'm over 21" was a common refrain.  Two weeks before her death, as we celebrated her 90th birthday, she whispered to me, "Shhhhh, don't tell them".  I had actually paused while ordering her favourite ice cream cake, asking myself if I should dare have them write the number "90" across the top in icing.

If you knew Adele (formerly, Ada...but that is another story), you knew a woman who was always well put together.  She dressed to the nines and never left the house without "putting on her face".  She truly was a woman ahead of her time.  She was strong and fiercely independent.  She valued education and went on to train as a medical laboratory technologist after high school.

Adele loved to travel with her husband, her family, her friends or solo.  Once, when my father showed no interest in visiting China, she booked a tour on her own.  Adele was the most thoughtful woman I know.  Friends and family knew that they could count on a greeting card sending its way to them to mark birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions.

The woman known as Adele to some, Ada to others and Mom to my sister and me will be dearly missed.  She was predeceased by her most loving husband, Richard Goulding.  She is survived by her daughters, Heather (and husband, Mike) and Susie, and her 4 grandchildren of whom she was so proud:  Alec, Jane, Sadie and Keisen.  "Ada" is also survived by her brother, Bill; her sisters-in-law, Donna, Audrey and Carol; her brother-in-law, Ron, and her many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

As the last years of her life were spent attempting to thwart the indignities of Alzheimer's disease, donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada can be made in lieu of flowers.  Adele also volunteered much of her time with the Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Blood Services, so these are charities that would also benefit from support in her name.

A special thank you must go out to Paulette and Darrell Tracey who provided exceptional care to Adele in her last years.  Knowing that they were keeping Mom safe and comfortable made our lives easier.

A private interment will take place.