Elisabeth Harding

It is with great sadness that the family of Elisabeth Harding announce her passing at the age of 92 on March 22, 2021 at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre with her family by her side.

Elisabeth was the first-born child of six to Leslie and Annie Laurie Davies on January 27, 1929 in Bristol, England.

She is survived and will be greatly missed by son Michael and his children Kaitlyn and Nolan as well as their mother Rose, son Martin (Robin) and their children Jordan (Irena Sudar) and Madison (Kris Barron), and daughter Allison (Bill) and daughters Alyssa (Daniel Stilla) and Brittany (Justin Drebit) and their son Levi, who is Elisabeth’s first great grandchild. She will be greatly missed by brother Michael Davies (Anna), England, sisters Caroline Drake, England and Susan Jacobs, Australia as well as nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many foster children. Elisabeth will also be greatly missed by her feline companion Marmalade who provided her with unconditional love until the end.

She is predeceased by her loving husband John Harding, both her parents, Leslie and Annie Laurie Davies, her brother Richard Davies, sister Anne Bradbury, brother in-laws Eric Drake and Barry Jacobs as well as beloved nephews Hamish Cameron and Timothy Jacobs.

Elisabeth attended Nightingale Training School of St. Thomas Hospital in London, England and completed her nursing training in 1952. Elisabeth sailed from England to Canada in 1954 to work as an outpost nurse in many Northern Ontario communities including Beardmore, where she met her loving husband. Elisabeth lived her life by fully encompassing the true meaning of a Nightingale Nurse through the portrayal of her genuine character every day.

Elisabeth was very active in the Anglican Church and community, both in Nipigon and Thunder Bay. She dedicated a majority of her life to well deserving organizations in both Nipigon and Thunder Bay. Many notable organizations include Thunder Bay Family and Children’s Services, Canadian Blood Services, The Red Cross, The Mission to Seafarers, Canadian Cancer Society, St. Michael’s & All Angels Anglican Church and St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Nipigon, Oliver Road Public School Community, Nipigon Council, Nipigon District Memorial Hospital, and The Nipigon Red Rock & District Association for Community Living.

Over the years she enjoyed knitting baby clothes, writing letters to family, swimming lengths in both Nipigon swimming pool and at the Canada Games Complex, traveling to visit family and friends around the world and going for walks hand-in-hand with her husband John. Elisabeth cherished her many hours spent with her grandchildren and looked forward to their every visit.

We want to extend our appreciation to all the staff and residents of Chartwell Arundel for the many years of unwavering love they showed our grannie and family. A heartfelt thank you to the nursing staff on 2A, especially Ashley and Charlene, for providing comfort to our grannie and family in such a difficult time, as well as Dr. Mario Nucci for his caring nature towards grannie. Words will never express the amount of gratitude our family has for grannie’s primary homecare provider, Barb who always went above and beyond her daily duties and showed grannie so much love and attention. We also express our gratitude to other Paramed homecare workers who supported Elisabeth throughout the years at Chartwell.

Funeral services will be held on Friday March 26th at 2:00pm where immediate family will gather at Sargent and Son with Rev. Patti Brace presiding. Those wishing to join the service virtually may do so on the Sargent & Son Facebook Page. Inurnment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens. As expressions of sympathy the family respectfully requests memorials to any organization supporting children in foster care and Thunder Bay District Humane Society. Online condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com.