Obituary of Velma Brown

BROWN (Purdy), Velma Pearl - 93, formerly of Truro and Bible Hill, died in Halifax on Friday, March 6, 2009. She will be much missed by her only daughter, Carolee Nichols and other family members and friends. Velma was born April 13, 1915, in Truro, the eldest of three children of Gordon Dencil and Elsie Mae (Talbot) Purdy. She grew up in Truro, attended school there and worked at Truro Printing and Publishing Co. and Margolian's Department Store. Velma married Frederick Cameron Brown in 1940. They lived in Bible Hill until 1964 when they moved to Dartmouth and Halifax. Velma was known for having a humourous fun loving spirit and for getting up to what her grandchildren called her "Nanny antics". Her grandchildren and her caregivers in Melville Gardens often remarked that they "want to be like her when we get old". She was cheerful, warm and accepting of others. She took delight in being the oldest of the five living generations of her family. Throughout her life, Velma was very active and involved in the arts, her church, and in charitable activities. A prolific writer of poetry and prose for her own pleasure, she also contributed to various local church publications. Farther afield, her poetry was published in magazines such as "Ideals" and "Guideposts". She was also an amateur photographer, and an accomplished oil painter, and acted as a judge at county exhibitions in her younger years. She worked for and supported charities including St. Vincent de Paul Society (Hand in Hand) at Spryfield. Always very active in her church, she was a member of the Catholic Woman's League, the Lay Carmelites, and was a long-time worker and participant in the prayer group held at St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic parish in Halifax for which she published a newsletter called "The Candle". She taught catechism classes in St. Paul's in Dartmouth and St. Michael's in Halifax. Velma is survived by her daughter, Carolee Barbara Nichols (Bill), Dartmouth; granddaughters. Maura Catherine Hart (Russell), Miller Lake; Barbara Elizabeth Nichols (Royce Roenspies), Kamloops B.C.; great-grandchildren, Catherine Marie Wilson (Neven), Cochrane, Alta.; William Wray Hart (Cherise), Miller Lake; great great-grandchildren, Madisyn Wilson and Diane Wilson. Her husband, Fred predeceased Velma, as did her brothers, Gordon Purdy Jr. who was killed in Caen, France in the Second World War, and Gerald Purdy. A funeral service will be held in St. Michaels Roman Catholic Church, 14 St. Michaels Ave., Spryfield on Friday, March 13 at 10 a.m. Visitation will be in J. Albert Walker (2005) Ltd., 149 Herring Cove Rd., Spryfield on Thursday, March 12 from 4-7 p.m. Velma will be buried in Robie Street Cemetery, Truro. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia and St. Vincent de Paul Society.