Obituary of Jean BEDFORD

BEDFORD, Jean (nee Thompson), aged 89, passed away in Cambridge Memorial Hospital after a lengthy battle with cancer. She died peacefully on the evening of Monday, March 21st, 2016. Jean was born July 16th, 1926 in Stocksfield, Northumberland , England to the late Isobel and Frederick Thompson. Still a child, she moved with her parents and two older siblings to Worthing, Sussex, where she lived throughout the war years. She married Geoffrey Bedford of Brighouse and Rastrick, Yorkshire. As a married couple with one daughter, they lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, Rustington, Sussex and Aden (now South Yemen), before immigrating to Canada in 1957. They established themselves in Niagara Falls and subsequently Cornwall, Ontario, Ste. Foy and Ste, Romuald, Quebec, Sarnia, Ontario, and lastly Kingston, Ontario. In her last years, Jean lived in Kingsdale Chateau, Kingston and Doon Village Retirement Village in Kitchener, Ontario. Jean served in the British Armed Forces during the war but became a dedicated homemaker and mother after her marriage. She was a talented artist and her creative side showed in her home, her cookery and in her beautiful gardens. She was a loyal member of the I.O.D.E and participated in many other social activities. She was staunchly conservative most of her life. She is survived by her daughter, Elaine Garnet, of Red Deer, Alberta; her loving grandson, Eric Garnet and his wife, Natalie, and all her family of Kitchener, Ontario; nephew, Simon Thompson and her niece, Hillary of Dunedin, New Zealand, respectively; and bother-in-law, Ron Bedford of Cleckheaton, and his daughters-in-law, Jane and Janice Bedford, all of Yorkshire. Jean will be sadly missed by all her friends in England and Canada, especially, Jan and Roger Williams and their children, Sean, Haley and Mark; and Alison Shildon, daughter of our beloved and late Aunty Lena both of Yorkshire. Jean was predeceased by her loving husband, Geoffrey Bedford late of Kingston; her parents, Isobel and Frederick Thompson; her brother, Eric Thompson of New Zealand; sister Marjorie Leuw of Kingston; sister-in-law, Hilda of New Zealand and her sons Tony and Robin; nephews David and Robert Bedford of Yorkshire; and long time family friend, Aunty Lena. She was also predeceased by Louie, a doted upon cocker spaniel, who died and was interned in a nearby pet cemetery. The funeral service will be held at JAMES REID FUNERAL HOME, (1900 John Counter Boulevard), Kingston, on Saturday, April 30th at 11 a.m. with The Venerable Edward Dallow officiating. A reception will follow in the Reception Centre. Inurnment at Cataraqui Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kingston Humane Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Kingston office. Many thanks to the doctors and nursing staff of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital, the staff and residents of the Doon Village Retirement home.