Elaine (MacGowan) Fraser

Janice Elaine (MacGowan) Fraser grew up in a gingerbread house atop a hill in Saint John, New Brunswick— the daughter of Edna (Hamilton) MacGowan, a municipal councillor who also ran a kindergarten from her home, and James MacGowan, a musician with an artist’s soul. The third of four children, she had an insatiable zest for life.

When Elaine headed off to Mount Allison University, she soon put her mark on the young freshman, Lloyd Fraser. As a MacGowan, she was strong-minded, ambitious, expressive, outspoken, a tad stubborn, and very determined! So, with no ifs, ands or buts, she made it clear she intended them to spend their lives together. Lloyd was a Fraser - gentle, soft-spoken, and diplomatic. Elaine married her loving and devoted Lloyd, and a dynamic duo was formed that brought to the world four Fraser/MacGowan kids ... followed by 12 grandkids! Throughout their 55 years of marriage, Elaine and Lloyd were steadfastly best of friends, partners, parents and soulmates.

Elaine was never scared of the world ... bike trips around the province ... hitchhiking across Canada ... building a school in Nigeria ... sabbatical years in Ontario ... polar bear dips in the snow ... Elaine was always ready to be wowed by the world around her. After reading an article about the Camino de Santiago, she told Lloyd, “When you turn 60 we should walk the Camino!” which they did; 600km across northern Spain! While others might have been deterred by a knee injury cutting the journey 200km short, they instead returned two years later to ‘make up’ their missed journey, walking 1000 kilometers!

She was a rebel, an outlier, an activist and a woman ahead of her time! She chose to live her own way. She taught us at a young age to stand up for what we believed to be right... the peace movement, human rights, compassion for others ...

She inspired us to pursue our dreams with gusto. When she took on swimming a mile a day in her early 40s, she committed for life. She’d come out of the water each day feeling alive and, “Ready to take on the world!”

Elaine was a proud Maritimer. She loved her native Saint John. She cherished raising her family in Halifax. She adored camping in PEI.

Elaine rejoiced in her music: all styles, all flavours. She passionately pursued musicians with loyalty. Their music truly fed her soul. At home or on the road, she would crank the volume of her favorite songs, setting aside all else in order to give them her full attention. Whether singing and dancing to Grieg, Morricone, Brel, Nannini, or Coldplay, she never listened halfway.

She had many projects throughout her life, but her greatest passion was her family. Devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, she gave her all to us. As a mother, there were the 6am swim practices, the decades of home cooked meals (always quadrupling the recipes!) and homemade cookies in our lunches when everyone else had granola bars. She was the most powerful voice cheering at the swim meets. She temporarily moved the family halfway across the country to pursue her husband’s studies and her children’s athletic pursuits.

Mom taught us many things: rigour, persistence, the confidence to be our own selves. It can be said that all a child needs to succeed in this world is to know they are loved. Elaine’s greatest gift to the world has been the unconditional love and joy she showered upon anyone in her midst.

Mom was a storyteller. She always had a story to share, with delight. She wore her heart on her sleeve. She had spunk. She always had a special twinkle in her eye, never taking herself too seriously. In recent days, so many people have mentioned her constant smile. Her kindness. This is mom. When memory glitched, no worries. Laughter.

If you’re a neighbour, you’ve certainly met her, as she’d walk her dogs around the neighbourhood. If you have a dog, she’d greet you with “Isn’t she beautiful!” If you’ve crossed paths while swimming, she’s probably declared, “Isn’t the water just glorious!” At the symphony... “Isn’t it wonderful!” In PEI... “Don’t you just adore our Island?!” And if you’ve shared a good story ... “Isn’t that a riot!” If you don’t know her, but you’ve crossed paths at the grocery store, or at a street corner, she’s most likely stopped to break into conversation with you. Elaine is happy to befriend anyone and everyone, no matter who you may be. This is a rarity in this world.

After a week of birthday and Mother’s Day celebrations, surrounded by her dear friends and family, Mom returned to her home of 46 years in Halifax, sat down on the sofa, and took her final breath of this world. We will all miss her dearly, though we could not ask for a gentler passing into the great beyond, where she is certainly reunited with her beloved mother Edna (Hamilton) MacGowan, her father James MacGowan Sr, her brothers Jimmy and David MacGowan, and her sister-in-law Joan Angus.

Mom is survived by her soulmate and husband Lloyd Fraser; her four children, Matthew Fraser (Naomi MacKinnon), Jessica Fraser-Thomas (Philip Thomas), Zachary Fraser (Ashe Lang), and Hannah Fraser (Rob Vanderwerf); twelve grandchildren, Islay, Isaac, Lily, Jillian, Delyth, Evan, Amelia, Ronan, Julian, Marlowe, Saskia, and Penny; sister Sandra Ellis; sisters- and brothers-in-law Murray Angus, Anne Fraser, Graeme Fraser, Gloria MacGowan, Marilyn MacGowan; as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

Perhaps she’s among the stars now, perhaps she’s snuggling with all her animals that passed before, perhaps she’s swimming the seas.

A celebration of Elaine’s life will be held on Wednesday, May 22 at 2:30 pm, with reception to follow, at the St. Mary’s Boat Club, 1641 Fairfield Road, Halifax, NS. Accessibility assistance will be available. Donations in Elaine’s memory can be made to Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam Canada, World Wildlife Fund, or a charity of one’s choice.