Stella Van Dusen (née Moore) passed away on Feb. 26, 2022, just 13 days past her 104th birthday — at which time she proclaimed "I'm not ready yet!".

Born in Montreal, at the beginning of the last worldwide pandemic in 1918, to Irish born parents Henry and Margaret Moore, she is survived by her sister Winnie, her children Sheila, Ray (Joanne) and Dave (Jenn), her grandchildren Stuart, Rachel, Alana, and Vanessa, Mathew & Melanie, her great-grandchildren, Victoria & "little Vinnie", Carter & Madison, her many nieces and nephews, plus numerous dear friends.

Stella was predeceased by her beloved husband of 72 years,"Van", who passed away at 97, her younger brother Len ( at 84), her older brother Alf, who lived to be 105 and their Mother, who first set the centenarian marker, living until 101.

Along with her siblings and parents, she learned to survive very trying and economically difficult times between the World Wars. Despite these adversities, by her late teens she became very active... as a member of Montreal's mountain ski patrol, as an employee of Bell Telephone and as an amateur singer and dancer with the Blue Bell Bullets Revue, who entertained many, many thousands of Active Services Forces throughout the War.

During the War she met and married Irving ("Van") Van Dusen, a "Leading Aircraftman"  with the RCAF, who, prior to the war, was a touring acrobat (Kings of The Air ) and amateur figure skater.

Following the War she started her family, bringing up her children as a mostly stay at home Mom. She also held a variety of part time jobs and enjoyed a very active life in church choirs, local PTAs, both curling and swimming, and ultimately became a longtime member of the Oakville Seniors Centre, where she made many lifelong friends, taking numerous classes and making all kinds of crafts (for fundraising), specializing in (Japanese) Bunka embroidery, which was her favourite.

Throughout her life she particularly enjoyed singing, especially with her husband and siblings and then with her daughter... right up until her final day. She also had a ready and infectious laugh which was sparked especially by her husband as well as her younger son Dave, who nurtured her enjoyment of off-colour jokes, particularly in her later years.

Thanks to the stellar care giving efforts of her daughter Sheila, she was able to live at home right up until her 103rd year, when she moved into Oakville's Post Inn Village long term care facility, a remarkable "home" where she received exceptional care, a fact that the family is eternally grateful for.

Stella was a mother who not only loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren deeply, but all of them were her favourites! She had such a good heart and although we are all saddened by her loss, her family is so thankful for her long life and her fabulous spirit!