On Saturday, June 25, 2016 in Oakville, Anne in her 95th year. Beloved wife of the late Major John Praysner CD (R.C.R). Dear mother of Jane and her husband Ken Silk, Adrian and his wife Sohayla and Nicholas and his wife Angela. Loving grandmother of John, Amanda and her husband Rudy Huften, Emma, Cameron and Nicole and great grandmother of Luke, Gabrielle, Alex and Ella Grace. She will also be sadly missed by nieces Jillian, Jacqueline and Lindsay from England. Visitation will be held at the Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, 64 Lakeshore Road West (one block east of Kerr 905-844-2600), Oakville from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 30, 2016 at St. Andrew Roman Catholic Church, 47 Reynolds St., Oakville. For those who wish, memorial donations to a charity of your choice.

The Life and Times of Anne Aliette deBurgh Praysner

Born in Farnham, Surrey, England, to parents Lucy Fanny Lehmann and Robert Stanley de Burgh, January 23, 1922. Mum was born the middle child, first came Robert ( Uncle Bob) and then Mariette ( Auntie Judy). She was intelligent, creative, independent, and high spirited child. She loved the arts. Architecture and designing were instilled in her at an early age and she began by designing her own clothes and discovering her talent in gemology.
When the war years came Mum enlisted, her army life was cut short by a bout of rheumatic fever, but the army was to become her life, enter a dashing, handsome Canadian, Lieutenant John Praysner. Anne and John were married on a wintry December day , December 20, 1941 at Saint Joan of Arc church, Farnham, England. Then John was off to war - Sicily, Italy and Holland, letters came and went, difficult times were to be. But then came along a bright little spark, a daughter Jane.

When the war was over it was time to come to Canada, our new home. We arrived in Montreal in July, 1946 , with a flutter of excitement, as photographers were waiting to capture a photo of the first child to fly on a Liberator. Dad's family were all awaiting our arrival in Sault Ste Marie, it was a culture shock for us and most likely for them too. We had many new family members to meet and to love.

The days of roaming had just begun and the first posting was Camp Borden. Army quarters, army friends and cold snowy winters, but it was home. Then along came the middle child Adrian John, born in Barrie in the middle of a snowstorm. Our Granny came to stay with us. The first of many trips she would make to keep us one big family.

Suddenly we were packing up and off on a new adventure, this time to Halifax. Everything looked like home , just a different house, same furniture, same toys, but new friends and a new school. We loved the ocean, it was home again. Life in Halifax was short lived. Dad was to go to India and this time alone. He was to be away a year, so it was decided we would go home to England. We stayed with Granny for the year and this time letters went back and forth across the ocean.

When Dad returned our next new home was Fort Churchill, The Land of the Midnight Sun and polar bears, out of a blizzard, Nicky, Nicholas deBurgh our new baby brother and son was born.
Time to pack once again, crates are numbered..eine, swie , drei! off to Germany our next new home. We were all excited, lots to see Germany, France, Holland, Belgium and Italy. Many trips to England through the fog, channel crossings and ports of call.

Wherever we lived, Mum you made it home. Regina, Grand Bend, and finally Oakville actually we repeated Oakville. This time it truly was home and when we unpacked it was for good. Dad had retired so he was ready for new challenges. He became the Director of the Good Neighbour Club in Toronto and you pursued your interior design career. The house was always filled with Adrian and Nick's friends and they soon became almost family members. As always, every special event was celebrated royally. Sunday dinner was a special time and we often had extra guests at our table. You had a dalmatian that came with the house and a very rotund well travelled dachshund who loved ice cream. We all looked forward to family visits from England, our Granny, Auntie Judy and Uncle Leonard, Uncle Bob, our cousins Jillian, Jacqueline and Juliet and their families. We all grew up, I was the first to leave the nest... Adrian and Nick took a little longer.

Life changed for us all when Dad died but being the strong woman you were, you continued on. You put all your energy and love into your family and kept us close together. You are the maker of wonderful birthday cakes. The designer and producer of all wedding flower arrangements starting with mine all the way up to Amanda's. You were a walking talking encyclopedia on antiques, architecture, furniture and colour and design. You doted on your grandchildren and now great grandchildren, you welcomed into the world every grandchild and great-grandchild the day they were born. And they love you dearly. You were the keeper and teller of family stories and you kept us all together, all on track and doing things PROPERLY! If we needed to know any thing it was... ask Mum... or ask Granny!

Your second love was teaching. You introduced, developed and produced The Interior Design Program at Sheridan College. Starting out with teaching night classes and even a t.v. program. Many hours were spent teaching, writing programs and guiding students through stately homes, galleries, museums on wonderfully, exiting trips to Europe, England and the U.S. Your program then became a full time Interior Design Diploma...this was your baby!. And we were all so proud of you. You have inspired many to fulfill their hopes and dreams and enter new careers. You continued to fulfill your passion and incredible sense of colour and design by helping to create beautiful homes for family and friends.

Mum you had so many gifts and talents that we all respect and admire but the most important one we relied on was your unconditional love you had for us all. Thank you for loving us so much. We'll love you forever. xoxo
Adapted from a poem read to Mum on her 90th Birthday