Sue Beggs

When Sue Beggs walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Sue was and how she impacted those around her. Sue was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Sue wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Sue was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

Sue was born on April 29, 1954 at St. Joseph’s Hospital inToronto. She was the daughter of Margaret and Murray McVanel. Sue was raised in Etobicoke. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Sue might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Sue was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Sue has one older brother, Brian, and sister-in-law Sharon,. Sue was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Sue was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Sue well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Sue was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Sue was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. In her spare time she loved playing Barbies and still has her Barbies. Sue had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

During her high school years, Sue responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from Etobicoke Collegiate in 1972. Sue was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses, especially Physical Education. Sue absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Sue, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Sue a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything.

Sue did well in college, as a result of her comfort level with tackling new theories and her love of learning. She earned her Diploma in Secretarial Science from George Brown College in Toronto in 1974. Sue returned to school, earning her Diploma of Human Services (Addiction) Counsellor with Honours from George Brown College in 2001. Her favorite course was group therapy. During college, Sue enjoyed volunteering, working with marginalized people. Sue was very adaptable, a quality that helped her make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Sue's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that she enjoyed virtually every class she took. Sue was always in quest of new things to learn and experience

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Sue was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Sue was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Debbie Porter, Diane Peck, Barb and Bonnie Findlay among countless others. Later in life, she became great friends with Lynn Burke, Terry Bowers, Audrey (Petal) Bailey, Joan Annandale, Diana Esmits, Mary Ann Bisson, Deb Hadwen Jeanne and Jaz, Heather Jenkins, Cathy Zammit, Joanne Perry, Cathy Campbell, Tom and Brenda, Ian and Casey, Barry and Tina, Don and Cathy, Bish and Edie, Pete and Carey, The Lees, The Monczkas, The Killins, The Shepards, The Graces, The Blais’, The Breckbills, Cambridge Cancer Support Group, St. Gregory’s Parish community, St. Anselm’s Parish community, Trinity Table, Euchre Group, Hiking Herd, Dancing Queens, Probus group, the staff at St. Michael’s and Toronto East General, colleagues at IBM and many other phenomenal neighbours and friends in both Toronto and Cambridge.

Her best friends were also within her family; Brian and Sharon, Lyn and Jack, Paul and Diane, Sarah and Mark with children Justin and Simonne, Darcey and Jason, Macrina and Chris with children Nick and Hannah, Jamie and Cheryl with children Jade, Jami and Jesse, Andrea and Bruce with children Nathan, Sierra, Skylar and River, Mike and Jackie with son Jacob and Christopher, Ben, Harmony and Nicole.

On May 30th, 1981 Sue married Peter James Michael Beggs at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto, Ontario. Sue's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Pete's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Sue was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

Sue was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Sue, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Beggs home. Sue's skill at understanding her daughter's feelings, her sensitivity to her needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Sue was blessed with one daughter: Jennifer Lynda and Randy whom she looked upon as a son.

Sue was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was being a Mom, and professionally an addiction counsellor. She started working following college at George Brown College, joined IBM where she met Pete and later went on to work as an Addiction Counsellor at St. Michael’s Hospital and Toronto East General Hospital. Sue retired to Cambridge in 2009. Sue was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Sue had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Sue's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Sue loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were gardening, playing Euchre and Train, shopping, volunteering and was an avid reader. Sue had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Sue's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

Throughout her life, Sue was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Sue seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Sue usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. Throughout her later years, Sue was an active member of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL), Trinity Table (soup kitchen), Cambridge Horticultural Society, Probus and Welcome Wagon.

Because Sue was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, she always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Sue's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made her a great asset. Sue found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Sue was an active member of several community groups, Sue enjoyed being a part of The Dancing Queens and Hiking Herd.

Sue was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of St. Anselm’s Parish in Toronto and St. Gregory’s Parish in Cambridge. During that time, she was a member of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL). She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Sue's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Sue took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included Severn Lodge in Muskoka, and she also loved cruises.

Sue was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, Golden retrievers, Comet and Luna.

Sue Beggs passed away on November 11, 2014 peacefully at her home in Cambridge with Jen, Pete and Luna by her side. Sue was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2013 and underwent aggressive treatment right up until Remembrance Day 2014. Her strength and hope were unfailing throughout. She is survived by her bereft husband Pete, loving daughter Jennifer, beloved dog Luna and her family Brian and Sharon, Lyn and Jack, and Paul and Diane. Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church in Cambridge. Sue was laid to rest in Cambridge.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Sue. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Sue Beggs for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Sue was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

BEGGS, Sue;

Passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, November 11, 2014. Beloved wife of Peter Beggs. Dear mother of Jennifer Beggs (Randy Huynh). Loving sister of Brian McVanel (Sharon). Sue worked as an Addictions Counselor at both Toronto East General Hospital and St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. The family will receive relatives and friends for visitation at Coutts Funeral Home, 96 St. Andrews Street, Cambridge on Friday, November 14, 2014 from 2-4 pm & 7-9 pm. Funeral Mass will be held from St. Gregory’s RC Church, 10 St. Gregory’s Drive, Cambridge on Saturday, November 15, 2014 at 11:30am. Cremation will follow. In memory of Sue, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre would be appreciated.