Lena Mildred McIntyre born on the 17th of April 1920, in Fort William recently passed away; peacefully with family at her side.
During the Second World War, Lena spent several years in the RCAF with three different postings. After the War in 1947 she came back to the Lakehead and began working at Trans Canada Airlines as one of the first reservation agents and she was on the very first flight into Thunder Bay by Trans Canada Airlines. Their offices were located at the Prince Arthur Hotel.
Trans Canada Airlines later became Air Canada and in the 1950s Lena transferred to Toronto and worked in Payload Control. Later she went on to work in Reservations, Schedule Changes and the Computer department from 1960 until she retired in 1976. She traveled the world and met many people and made many friends and enjoyed her family at Air Canada.
When Lena retired, she came back to Thunder Bay to live with her sister Anne. She spent much of her time volunteering.
She helped run the tuck shop at Pinewood Court for many years. She also volunteered with St. Vincent DePaul, helped get clothing and school supplies to Attawapiskat and gave much of her time to her church. She enjoyed church service, traveling, watching curling, completing cross word puzzles and she also enjoyed giving to many charities.
Lena was predeceased by her parents Edward and Margaret, her sisters Rose, Lucy and Anne and her brother Edward.
She is survived by her cat Lucy. Lucy has been living with her adopted parents Ryan and Kaisa for over a year and will continue to live out her surviving days in the luxury that she has always been accustom to with Lena.
She is also survived by many nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews; and great great nieces and nephews.
Lena never had any children, nor did she marry. She played by her own rules and was a free sprit. She always had a joke or a story to tell. One never had to wonder what she was thinking, as she had no problem telling you what she thought.
A big thank you to Lena’s niece Diane and her husband Don. If not for the two of them Lena would not have been able to live in her own home for as long as she did.
Another big thank you to her neighbours who have also given of their time to help her. The family would like to thank the nurses, social workers, physio and Dr. Almond for her care on 2C while she was in hospital for six months awaiting placement.
We would also like to thank the nurses and all support staff at Pioneer Ridge Plaza 1. They have provided exceptional care and were her second family for her final year of life. Their support during her end of life care was very thankful to the family. A big thank you to her support worker Jollaine; who over the past two months helped enrich Lena’s life in more ways than one could imagine.
Lena will be cremated and laid to rest with her parents in a private burial. There will be a funeral service at St. Elizabeth’s Church on Saturday November the 5th at 11:00am. There will be a gathering after the funeral at the church for friends and family.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the Thunder Bay and District Humane Society.
Lena McIntyre will be remembered in the Blake Funeral Chapel Memorial Grove. Annual dedication service Sunday, June 11, 2017.
