Gene Marie THOMAS

AITKENS, Gene Marie (nee Thomas), UE 20 May 1908 15 August 2007 This is the lady who wouldn't tell her age. Now we can tell it she reached 99 years and a bit, passing previous records set by her line of Cornish grandmothers. In her long life she filled many roles: wife, mother, and hostess, accomplished artist, determined gardener, family historian, cross-Canada driver, caregiver, single mother, volunteer (Maritime Museum), President and Branch Genealogist for many years of the Victoria Chapter, United Empire Loyalists, and the centre of our family a true matriarch. Her descendants and family bid goodbye to an indomitable spirit: Art Aitkens (son) and Fran Aitkens (daughter) of Victoria; grandchildren, Jennifer Aitkens, Guelph, Trevor (Seeta) Aitkens, Brampton, Huw Davies, Campbell River, Owain Davies (Jess Holman), Vancouver; great-grandson, Sacha Aitkens, Brampton; nieces Marilyn (Dave) Randall of Dalhousie, NB, and Sharon Hope of Victoria; nephews, Tom (Bev) Croft, and Chas (Gail) Croft; and many cousins and friends. Gene was predeceased by her parents, Wallace and Clara (Kitto) Thomas, sisters Gladys and Montie (Croft, Dowdie), and brother C.W. (Tommy) Thomas. Gene spent her infancy on the homestead north of Chip Lake, AB, but grew up on the family farm at Strathcona and with her grandparents in Edmonton. Accelerated through the grades, by 16 she was at Normal School (teacher training) and at 17 was teaching in a one-room school in Vegreville. She taught for 7 years, in various small communities and eventually in Edmonton. On a summer jaunt along the West Coast, she fell in love with the sea and the mountains and a handsome radio operator at Estevan Lighthouse, Chas Aitkens. They spent 5 happy years in the small Estevan community, then in 1939 Chas joined the RCAF and they travelled widely, including 3 years on exchange in England after the War. After many years in Ontario, she returned to her heart's home in Victoria in 1964. We send a special thank you to the warm and caring people at St Charles Manor where Gene lived a full and joyful life after her stroke in 2003. Here she found a new friend, Eric Bartlett, and, apparently, a new role as a feisty advocate for residents' rights. A celebration of Gene's life will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, 8 September 2007 at First Memorial Chapel, 1155 Fort Street, Victoria. 400519 Published in the Victoria Times-Colonist from 8/18/2007 - 8/20/2007.