Helen Ada Lockhart

Those who knew Helen will know what a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend she was and why she will be so deeply missed.

Helen passed away peacefully with her three children at her bedside on July 3 2022. She lived 99 years and 321 days.

She will be much missed by her loving family and is survived by her three children; Bruce Steven Lockhart (Barb), Alice Dorothy Lockhart, and Stewart Harold Lockhart.

She is also survived by her four grandchildren; Richenda Weening (Jeff), Teresa Petrini (Josh), Pamela Lockhart (Brent), and Nicolas Lockhart (Nico), as well as her nine great grandchildren; Xzavier, SJ, Logan, Tae, Ava, Drake, Makayla, Izzy and Noah.

She is predeceased by her husband Bruce Elsworth Lockhart and daughter-in-law Cindy Anne Lockhart (Crow). She outlived all of her siblings and was the last of her generation.

Helen was born and grew up on Little Tancook Island, a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia. She often shared her love of, and her many stories of life on her little island. It was a different world. She grew up in the home that was built by her grandfather Albert Levy for his red-headed bride Melinda Stevens. Her mother and father, Rodgers and Alice Levy (Mossman) had 11 children, nine of whom reached adulthood. Life was hard work but filled with love and respect. No electricity or indoor plumbing but their home boasted the only phone on the island and her grandfather/father owned the island store. Her mother was a school teacher, her father a fisherman and farmer. Helen attended a little one room school on the island and Church was a focus of life growing up. She had a deep faith in God and it carried her through many difficult times.

Helen moved to Halifax when she was 17 and acquired a job as a housemaid to two lovely old ladies. She later worked at Moirs Chocolate factory in Halifax.

Helen married Bruce Elsworth Lockhart on Dec 22, 1949. They were married for 52 years until he passed on July 30, 2001.

Helen and Bruce had 3 children together: two were born in Halifax NS (Bruce and Alice) and one was born in Victoria BC (Stewart).

Helen and her husband moved to Victoria BC in 1959 and raised their family there.

Helen worked at Rodgers Chocolates for 20 years. She worked her way from hand dipping chocolates to doing the fancy work and won awards for her hand decorated Easter eggs. She decorated the beautiful storefront windows and was honored to cut the ribbon when the new factory opened. She very much enjoyed working.

Helen was a talented artist and continued to paint well into her late 90’s. Her paintings are treasured by family and friends, and patrons who purchased her work at several small art shows.

Helen loved to garden all of her life and fed her family from the huge garden and fruit trees that she tended. She continued to plant tomatoes and beans on the patio where she lived at Aberdeen LTC facility. She loved to watch things grow.

Helen loved to write and receive letters. During her early teens she had many penpals, one even a boy living in India. She enjoyed a special penpal relationship with her niece Susan Lord on the east coast. She received regular letters from her granddaughter Richenda during Covid-19 and loved to re-read the many stories of the happenings in the daily lives of Richenda's family.

By far, Helens greatest love was for her children and her family. She was a devoted and dedicated mother. Her children were her world, and her love was all encompassing and unconditional. For the last eight years of her life she would call each of her three adult children every evening at bedtime to say; ‘Hello, my baby boy (to Stew), hello my beautiful daughter (to Alice), and hello my big blue eyed boy (to Bruce), ‘it’s mom calling to say goodnight. I love you, God bless you and nightie night.’ What a wonderful gift she gave to her children.

Helen loved and adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She welcomed her latest great-grandchild Noah into the world a few months before her passing. She was delighted with him and was able to kiss him goodbye the day before she passed.

Helen’s life spanned almost 100 years. She was born in the roaring 20s, grew to adulthood through the struggles of the Great Depression, experienced the loss and hardships of the Second World War, the fear of the Cuban Missile Crisis and many other historical events. She saw and experienced the many changes to technology. She lived a full life as a kind and giving person and was loved and respected by many. She had a cheeky sense of humor and a flirtatious fun nature into her 99th year.

We will always carry you in our hearts and memories dear mother. You are our angel now and rest in the light and love of God and the loving arms of your dear mother.

We love you, God bless you and nightie night mom.

A Celebration of Life is planned near mom’s 100th birthday in August. Details to follow.

Condolences may be shared on the memorial site at;

www.DignityMemorial.com