JEANNIE MATHESON MCKESSOCK HOWEY BROOK (MCKESSOCK)

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JEANNIE MATHESON MCKESSOCK HOWEY BROOK (nee MCKESSOCK) March 2, 1920 - November 4, 2012 Jean passed away peacefully in the Middlechurch home on Sunday evening, November 4. She will be greatly missed and is survived by her three daughters Judy of Vancouver, Margaret of Winnipeg, and Beth (Gerald Blackstock) of Port Hope, Ontario, and her son Jim (Laura Leigh) of Breckenridge, Colorado. Nana was much loved by her six grandchildren Kim (Jamie Montgomery) of Vancouver, Tyler (Nikki Calao) of Breckenridge, Ryan (Maya) of Denver, Shelley of Breckenridge, Kai and Torin of Port Hope; and by her two great-grandsons Jordan and Cameron of Vancouver. She was predeceased in 2010 by her husband of more than 63 years, Albert Brook, and by her six brothers and sisters. Jean grew up in Sudbury, Ontario and enjoyed teenage summers near Massie. She was married to Clayton Howey shortly before he left to serve in the Air Force; sadly he died in action during the Battle of Britain. Jean trained as a Registered Nurse in Owen Sound, and served with the Victorian Order of Nurses after moving to Winnipeg. She met Al in Winnipeg soon after he returned from the War, and they were married in 1946. In the summer of 1950, they moved into their first real home on Linden Avenue in East Kildonan, where they raised four children and enjoyed their next forty years. The family enjoyed many evenings around the piano with Jean playing all the old tunes and the rest trying to keep up with the lyrics. At Christmas, she somehow managed to seat almost twenty members of the extended family around two tables for turkey and all the trimmings, with room afterward for the mandatory Rummoli game. She loved caring for her beautiful gardens every summer. She was active in St. Stephen's Anglican Church Ladies' Auxiliary for many years, and later volunteered with Al in the Meals on Wheels program and with the Manitoba Naturalists Society. In the family's early summers, Jean spent many crowded but happy days caring for the family in and around a small camping trailer, both at Falcon Lake and on road trips to visit family across Ontario. She was very pleased to move into the cottage on Block 7 at Falcon in 1967 and enjoyed almost 25 summers there, while the growing family kept it a busy place too. Jean and Al were active in the RehFit Centre for many years after moving in 1989 to their Lindenholm apartment on Wilkes Avenue. After moving to Middlechurch Home in 2009, she continued to enjoy the daily Jumble puzzle and her knitting. Thank you to the staff of B1 Middlechurch and to her companion Donna for their loving kindness and care over the last three years. Jean looked at everything positively, and never had an unkind word about others. She cared lovingly for many, many others throughout her long life, and she always could find time to chat and visit. God has taken up an angel, and she'll be a star in his service. The funeral service will be held at St Stephen's Anglican Church, 220 Helmsdale Ave, East Kildonan beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 9. Family and friends may wish to donate to St. Stephen's in Jean's memory. THOMSON "IN THE PARK" 925-1120 Condolences may be sent to www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 10, 2012