Ethel May Moore

Ethel May Massie, with an ‘ie, was the youngest of 4 girls born in 1919 in Wordsley, Worcestershire, England, a small village between the beautiful green belt and the Black Country, one of the main areas of the Industrial Revolution. With the First World War ending, women over 30 getting the vote, Spanish flu epidemic reaching its nadir, Ethel’s start in life was challenging, especially as the family struggled to make ends meet. Conditions were basic, with no electricity or bathroom and an outside toilet and no oven just a hob, except the family thrived on love and ‘making do’ and getting on with life.

From toys and social communication, Ethel’s curiosity was piqued by new experiences such as pens, planes, televisions, records, cars. The World had shifted.

Like many, without finances, she had to leave school at 14, and started work, but with limited job opportunities for a young girl, who dreamed of faraway places and dancing. She worked as a glass inspector at Stuart’s Crystal, an international institution for glassmaking and as an embroidery pattern fitter until the Second World War broke out. Her dear Mum died on Christmas Day 1939, when she was just 20, and her father was dying of cancer in 1942. She had to go to a tribunal in order to stay to help keep the home going instead of joining the forces. So instead, she travelled miles to work on machines to make haversacks and putties for the soldiers and then went to training college to become a Final Aero Inspector for measuring wing nuts and triggers for guns using a micrometer. Vital war work for Spitfires.

There were heavy bombing raids on Coventry and Birmingham, very close to home. 1,852 tons of bombs were dropped in the Birmingham Blitz (1940-43). She spent most nights cramped in the bomb shelter down the garden and the whole of the war dealing with blackouts and heavy rationing.

She loved old-time dancing at the local church hall and other local halls that were popular and was good at it. She always liked to match her clothes and can still tell you what colour her outfits were on a particular occasion including the trends of 1930’s and 1940’s.

Ethel met Francis John during the war. He was in the Territorials and so was the first to be called up. They met on a blind date and on the second meeting he proposed. They married on his next leave on Aug 15, 1942. He soon went overseas and fought with 4th KSLI attached to the 11th Armoured Division, through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was a D Day veteran and his unit was one of the first in to liberate Belsen-Bergen Concentration Camp. He never spoke of too much but just offered a couple of funny stories. The proposal may have sounded quirky but the enduring love affair lasted 51 years. They adored each other.

There have been many, many tragedies in Ethel’s life but Mum was made of stern stuff and soldiered on.

2 daughters, Jen and Viv, 3 budgerigars, 1 rabbit, 1 mouse, 1 dog and several chickens all meant many, many amazing memories. Ethel was a school dinner server at the local school, but unemployment was high and they bravely decided to emigrate in 1977. She had several temp jobs and then worked at Woodward’s in the china department.

Ethel had been in the local Pantomime Society in England and then became a dancing member of the West End Community Centre, downtown Vancouver and at New Westminster and a fitness buff at the West Van Senior’s Centre. She and John were active members of the Legion in West Vancouver, Branch 60, where she received a long service award for 30 yrs. John had been president for 6 years.

After John’s very sudden death in 1993, she vowed she would not just shut herself away. Devastated, she carried on, taking over the Entertainment, Ways and Means and visiting Hospitals, as well as serving veteran’s lunches, poppy collecting and counting and speaking about Veterans in schools and even dressed as a bear in a parade. She was also the salsa queen on Ambleside sea front up to 2015. She was adored by everyone in the village of West Van and by her Legion family and would dance the night away many evenings. She was independent and game for anything thrown at her.

Ethel has attended every Royal event she could possibly manage from the Coronation in 1953 to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Jenny invited her to London at every opportunity to see openings of West End shows, museums, art galleries and restaurants. Three weeks before emigrating, she was at the Silver Jubilee while John packed.

Mum and Dad (Ethel and John) were to attend the 50th anniversary of the D Day landings in 1994. However, he died mere months before and so the 3 ‘girls’ went with his comrades from his battalion, to Normandy and the beaches and Ethel proudly received a medal and award for John on his behalf.

Ethel has been, and continued to be an amazing Mum, who selflessly put herself last in order to steer a family through life. The biggest blessing she and Dad ever bestowed on their daughters was for them to do whatever made them happy, with no expectations or judgments and to freely follow their hearts.

Ethel was her own person. She had the strength of an ox, hated being patronized, had a will of iron, a curiosity of the world, people that kept her youthful and a wicked sense of the ridiculous which made us laugh. She packed a lot of living into 102 years, avoiding Spanish Flu, TB and Covid

In 2016, at the age of 96.5, Ethel’s rented apartment of 37 years was sold. Big huge emotional decisions had to be made and she chose to live with Viv in Toronto, and whilst there continued her dance and theatrical performances in theatre, film and facebook. A week before she passed, Ethel was dancing, singing and full of vigour, energy and planning the next dance performance.

We honour your love, grace, strength, spirit and fortitude Mum. What a legend. You have left a big hole in our hearts.