Helen Daisy Emery
1918 – 2021
Surrounded by the love of her family, Helen Daisy Emery, née MacLean, passed away peacefully at the tender age of 102 in Canmore, Alberta. She is survived by her son Eric (Laura) Emery, her son in law Rick Davison, her sister Ruth MacLean, and her grandchildren; Trevor (Cory), Jeanette (Jerome), Vanessa (Shawn), and Geoffrey (Chrissy). She is also survived by her cherished great grandchildren Shauna, Kent and Carly. Helen is predeceased by her husband Austin Emery and her daughter Carol Davison.
Helen was born in Durham Bridge just outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick, on March 11, 1918, a birthday she was happy to share with her great grandson, Kent. Throughout her life Helen maintained a strength of spirit and a commitment to being true to herself. She started her career as a teacher and at one point moved to Richmond, Virginia in the United States to study; only to be forced to return home at the start of World War II. Upon returning to Fredericton, Helen took a position with the provincial government and rose through the ranks to become the executive assistant for the Premier of New Brunswick.
Soon after marrying, Helen moved to Halifax/Dartmouth where she spent many years raising a family while continuing to work. She volunteered extensively and was a proud member of the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE). It was at this time that Helen became an avid bridge player, a passion she would indulge for the rest of her life.
Helen loved to travel, and she thought it was important to get out and see the world. She took each of her grandchildren on a special trip for their 16th birthday. She was an exceptional grandmother who was both loved and respected by her grandchildren; she instilled in them the importance of striving for high ideals.
Helen was sharp and active all her life, while maintaining an appetite she was famous for. When she was almost ninety, Helen made the bold decision to relocate to Canmore, Alberta. It proved to be a great move as she enjoyed many precious moments with family. She also made many close friends, while playing duplicate bridge, walking all over town, and volunteering at the Canmore Hospital Gift Shop.
On her 100th birthday, she was recognized by Alberta Health Services as their oldest volunteer in the province. When asked what the secret was to her long life, Helen would reply “always keep moving.”
The family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all the amazing staff at ‘Origin at Spring Creek’ for the tremendous love and care that Helen received throughout her stay. A Celebration of Remembrance will be held in Canmore at a future date when COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.
