Carol Milnes

Carol Milnes was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the daughter of Bill and Elsie Milnes both originally from Alberta. She leaves behind her devoted husband Angus Cassells and her son Shane Pecknold.

When one saw Carol’s beautiful flower gardens and healthy vegetable crops, it was immediately obvious that Carol was an expert gardener. Not only did she enjoy gardening, she also enjoyed sharing her knowledge with new gardeners who sought her advice. Typical of Carol, she was also happy to provide them with plantings, seeds, tools and anything else they needed to get started. And she wasn’t averse to doing the work for them. Taking care of neighbours’ gardens while they were away was a normal occurrence for her – without fail, her neighbours would return to a much improved version after her care.

Being generous with her time, she was also happy to take care of friends’ and neighbours’ pets, sometimes for weeks at a time – she adored animals.

A hard worker, Carol was never without work and spent the majority of her career working as an administrator at the City of Surrey, Planning and Development. Her organizational skills coupled with her ability to liaise with a wide range of department heads, trades and the general public made her a valued member of this department.

Carol liked to travel. With Angus by her side she enjoyed cruising, meeting his family in Scotland, vacationing in the U.S., and attending out-of-town car shows. One of her last trips was a trip to New York with a friend. All who knew her could imagine her fitting in well with the stylish New Yorkers because she understood fashion and was always impeccably dressed. Even when hauling a wheelbarrow full of dirt, she looked elegant.

But what her friends and family admired most was her honesty and humour, and the fact that her witty observations masked a generous heart – always happy to help her neighbours and friends. And, she was a good listener, never turning away anyone who needed a friendly ear.

Our battle with death can never be won, but her bravery in the face of such a devastating medical diagnosis was remarkable. She insisted that she didn’t want any fuss. Consequently, only her dear husband Angus and a few friends knew that she was bravely dealing with her third cancer diagnosis while living life as if nothing were happening. In the end, she was fortunate to have Angus’s loving care. Angus not only lost his wife, he also lost his best friend. He and Shane will miss her but so will the many friends who loved her. She will not be forgotten!

“In life, we loved you dearly, in death, we love you still

In our hearts you hold a place, no one else will ever fill”