Alberta Donna Holmes

Alberta will be loved and remembered by her son Garth Ward (predeceased by his wife Iva Spruiel), her sister Avonell Penfold, her granddaughter Carolyn Bobinski (Sebastian), grandson David Hyde (Cal), and a bounty of nieces and friends across the country. She is predeceased by her husband Clarke Holmes, parents Isaac and Lila Ward, siblings Aubrey Ward, Lillian Mills, Vernon Ward, Edna Wylie, and Margery Ward.

Alberta’s early years were spent in Harcourt, New Brunswick on the family farm. She excelled in school and completed high school in Moncton. She made a career in retail, excelling in management with Zellers from New Brunswick to Alberta. Often the only woman at retail management conferences she was well regarded and respected by her peers. Alberta and Clarke had a wonderful life together in Beaumont, AB and Norwood, ON, their retirement home. They loved travel and their community, and both are well remembered for their service work. After Clarke’s passing, Alberta lived with her son Garth in Guelph where her strength of spirit and indefatigable nature helped her to make a whole new set of friends, join a new church, and become a “Granny” with the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

She had polio in her teen years which impacted her health thereafter. Not to be slowed down or kept from life, she used a scooter, electric wheelchair, and accessible transit to get out to “Granny” meetings, lunches, fundraisers, appointments, the symphony, and of course, shopping. An avid reader and follower of politics, she kept up to date with world events as keenly as she kept up with the lives of those near and dear to her.

A graveside service will take place in May in Norwood, where she will be interred next to her beloved Clarke.

In memory of Alberta, tell someone you love them. You can make a donation to the Stephen Lewis Foundation or a local charity of your choice.

The family is grateful for the exceptional medical and person care she received, especially in the past year.