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Thacker, E.W

July 2, 2009 97

THACKER, E.W. (Ba) - (Aug 8 1911 - June 26 2009) - In 1975, after retiring Ba came from England to live with Ken and Maggie Taylor in Mindemoya, not very keen on retirement, she soon found work again as a physiotherapist at Mindemoya Hospital. When she reached 80, retirement was forced upon her. She was still driving a “Meals on Wheels“ route well into her 80s Ba was born in South Africa of English parents, who returned to the Isle of Wight when she was about 13. She grew up with a love for the Isle of Wight that was matched only by the love she developed for Manitoulin Island. For many years, Ba's sister Betty would come to Mindemoya for the winter. They curled together, and loved going to bonspiels around the Island. Betty suffered a stroke while visiting, and was invalided back to the UK. Ba then spent every winter with her. Even after Betty's death Ba continued living in Mindemoya for three seasons of the year and in the Isle of Wight over the winter, always travelling alone across the Atlantic. In her youth, Ba was a tennis player, skier, and generally an all-round athlete. She would have played Wimbledon had the Second World War not broken out and cancelled the tournament. Ba was an avid stamp collector, this was a source friendships, locally and around the world. She knew every stamp in her extensive collection. One of her great pleasures in later life was finding a new stamp that she needed when she was sorting through miscellaneous stamps a friend or relation had acquired while travelling abroad. She greatly enjoyed nature, especially the hummingbirds that came to her feeder. Ba will be missed, by cousins Martin and Vincent Taylor in Canada, friends in Mindemoya and Toronto, and several cousins in England. The Funeral will be in Mindemoya United Church on Saturday July 4, 2009 at 2:00, with visitation from 1:00. Donations to Mindemoya Hospital Auxiliary would be appreciated.



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