Ann Morton Drysdale

It is with a heavy heart that we share the very sad news that Ann Morton Drysdale, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on April 30th, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Wife to James, Mom to Jason, Janet, and Michael, and Mommo to her 8 grandchildren, she was born Ann Morton Pelham on November 22, 1943, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Never one to doubt that anything is possible, Ann skipped two grades and started university at the age of fifteen. In 1964, shortly after graduating from The Halifax Infirmary and Mount St. Vincent University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Ann moved to Brockville, Ontario where she practiced and taught nursing at the Brockville General Hospital School of Nursing. Brockville is also where she met her future husband, James (Jim) Drysdale. Following their marriage in 1966, Ann and Jim moved to Toronto where Ann taught nursing at St. Joseph’s School of Nursing and was part of the team that transitioned the nursing school to Humber College.

Ann and Jim welcomed their first son, Jason, before transferring to Quebec, where they lived in both Pointe Claire and Kirkland. In the early Quebec years, Ann taught nursing at John Abbott College. With the births of daughter Janet, and son Michael, Ann paused her career to focus on raising her children. In 1979 the family returned to Ontario, settling in Mississauga.

The Ontario years were marked by the constant activity of a young family: swimming, soccer, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, fun times with friends and neighbours, and annual summer road trips to Nova Scotia.

When the kids were pre-teens / teens, Ann joined the pharmaceutical industry, working in the medical departments at Astra Pharmaceuticals and then Bayer Pharmaceuticals, in roles of increasing responsibility. This was a rewarding experience for her, and she travelled extensively for her work, including many international destinations. She retired from Bayer as Director of Clinical Research Operations in 2002. Ann and Jim then returned to Nova Scotia to build their dream home overlooking the outer Halifax Harbour, near Herring Cove and Halibut Bay.

Not one for idle retirement time, Ann and Jim joined the Probus Club of Halifax and Ann became the 2nd female President of the club. They also joined the Atlantic Rhododendron and Horticultural Society, with Ann serving on the Board, and the Halifax Dartmouth Wine Circle, where Ann and Jim served as co-presidents for a period.

Ann and Jim enjoyed exercising at Dalplex and hiking trips with the Probus walking group. They also loved to travel, cruising across the Atlantic to Europe, the Pacific to Hawaii, the islands of the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Panama Canal. Ann cherished time with her children and grandchildren, especially Christmas vacations.

Ann was known for her kindness, courage, and laughter. She was always willing to help, and never doubted she could figure out a problem. From removing stitches at the kitchen table to trying her hand at mechanical repairs (dishwashers, air conditioners), she was an innovator, an entrepreneur, and a compassionate caregiver. Ann was an exceptional cook, and Sunday dinners were cherished time with family. Ann was a talented seamstress, quilter, knitter, award winning amateur wine maker, gardener, and an early adopter of technology.

Throughout her life, Ann was an active volunteer, including for the Kirkland Figure Skating Club and the Girl Guides of Canada. She participated actively in her faith and was a leader in the Children’s Liturgy at St. Edmund of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church in Beaconsfield, QC, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Lecturer, and President of the Catholic Women’s League at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Mississauga, ON, and Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at St. Paul’s in Herring Cove, NS.

Ann is survived by James, her husband of nearly 58 years, her children, Jason (Laila), Janet (Patrick), and Michael (Emily), eight grandchildren, and her brothers Alexander “Sandy” (Kay) Pelham and Christopher “Chris” (Suzanne) Pelham. She is predeceased by parents Morton Pelham and Germaine “Gerry” (Comeau) Pelham, Aunt Alexandra “Pat” MacKinnon, and brother Lionel Pelham (Jane).

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 am on Monday May 13th at Stella Maris (formerly St. Michael’s Church) on Herring Cove Road. Following mass, a reception will be held at the Saraguay House (Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron), 2308 Purcell’s Cove Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Stella Maris Parish, https://www.stellamarishalifax.com/about-2-1, or to Chalice, a Catholic international aid charity, https://www.chalice.ca/donate