Colleen Elizabeth Ashworth

Colleen’s life was full of adventure as she lived and worked in many parts of the globe and loved learning about and experiencing different cultures. After receiving her B.A. from Dalhousie (Modern Languages major) she was granted a French government scholarship to study at the Sorbonne in Paris. This experience opened her mind to a new world of learning and appreciation of history.

After returning to Halifax, Colleen moved to New York City where she spent 5 years, working and studying. She attended Union Theological Seminary during her final 2 years in New York and was assigned field work in East (Spanish) Harlem where she worked with young people under the auspices of the neighbourhood church. This experience became a guide to many of her future interests and involvements.

A temporary position in the United Nations led to a dramatic move in the early 60’s. She was asked to participate in the United Nations Operation in the Congo (UNOC) and travelled to Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) where she spent the next 2 years as part of the administration staff. Life was very chaotic at that time in the Congo due to the sudden exodus of the Belgian colonists. U.N. workers led a very restricted existence with little opportunity to mix with the Congolese people or travel throughout the country.

Colleen was interested in returning to Africa, to a more normal situation where she could have closer contact with the people. In 1964 she was accepted for an assignment with CUSO- to be a teacher in a small village in Ghana. Her 2 years there filled her with wonderful enduring memories of a simpler life, uncluttered by greed and materialism.

On her return to Canada, Colleen spent a year in Halifax and received a Bachelor of Education degree from Dalhousie. This was followed by a Masters in Adult Education granted by the University of Toronto. On her marriage, she moved to Ottawa where she lived and worked for close to 25 years. She worked in many adult education settings, teaching ESL, upgrading and basic education as well as coordinating the women’s program at the community college.

Colleen returned to Halifax in 1995 and continued her work in adult education, most recently as the Coordinator of the English Language Learning program for immigrants at the Keshen Goodman Library. She also volunteered over many years with the Atlantic Jazz and Film festivals, as well as the Halifax Peace Coalition.

Colleen is survived by her children, Leah Posluns (Carol Langelier), Edmonton, and Jason (Jennifer) Posluns, Colborne, Ontario, as well as her grandchildren: Rebecca, Brittany, Austin, Shane, Camryn and Jackson. She was predeceased by her brother, Dennis. Also surviving are her brother Brian (Pidge), and sister-in-law Diane as well as nieces and nephews: Elizabeth, Megan, Alexis, Daniel, Graham and Brendan.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 3 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm at Cruikshank’s Funeral Home, 2666 Windsor Street, Halifax. A celebration of Colleen’s life will be held on Monday, July 4 at 2pm from Universalist Unitarian Church of Halifax, 5500 Inglis Street with Rev. Norm Horofker officiating. Colleen’s family asks that donation’s in lieu of flowers may be made to the Universalist Unitarian Church Minister’s Discretion Fund or to a charity of your choice.