Linda's Mother Passed Away Last Night

Peacefully in her sleep at 90 years of age, Stuart Crawford passed away at 7 pm on Thursday June 4th after a brief illness.

"Stuart" was Linda's mother's only given name, the fifth woman in five generations to be called Stuart. As you might expect it led to many, sometimes, humorous confusions over her life time. Pointedly, however, she did not name either of her own two daughters "Stuart".

A soldier, a baker, a glass engraver; secretary to the Executive Chief of the Royal York Hotel, Payroll Manager at Canada Trust; artist; mother of Margaret, Don, Linda and Steve, world traveler; she out lived two husbands and had a very full and loving life.

Stuart had been rushed to the Emergency department at Centenary Hospital last week with acute kidney failure. Linda and I spent much of the three days she was in the hospital fighting to insure she got the attention she required among the welter of automobile accident, industrial accident, young heart attack victims and the victims of physical abuse. But there was little the hospital could do for her beyond hydrating her and providing what little passes for physical comfort in a busy emergency ward.

She was returned to her nursing home last Friday where she was visited by all the members of her family, which cheered her greatly. Linda and I, along with my brother Keith and his wife, had visited her yesterday afternoon and she seemed very peaceful. The nurses commented that she was doing well and any crisis would be days away and, being the fighter she was, that she could even rally.

Sadly this was not to be the case.

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Linda and I are keeping my appointment with two of my oncologists at Princess Margaret Hospital today because the road getting to this point has been too arduous, and my cancer too aggressive, for us to delay the meeting. I will be getting full details of my diagnosis and a treatment schedule.

My daughter Kathy offered to come with me in Linda's place, but Linda is anxious to hear what the oncologists have to say directly.

I will publish my Friday Shootout tomorrow.