My mother Islay Brown-Hodgkins passed away on May 25, 2013. Although that was eight years ago, it doesn’t seem quite real even yet. She played such a special role in our lives. We miss her every day.

~ Islay on a swing (sitting at left) with sisters Margaret (standing) and Jean (sitting at right). Islay at her graduations with brothers Fred (left) and Norm (right)

She was born on July 16, 1928 into a large family in Owen Sound. She graduated from Nurses College and married Allan Harris. They later moved to Kingsville where he worked as a pharmacist at Statham’s Pharmacy. She worked as a nurse in Leamington and raised their five children.

 
~ Islay, husband Allan in the yard with children David, Jim, Jody. Islay in the living room with Jody, Rob and Andrew

After the kids were mostly grown their marriage ended. A few years later Islay married Les Hodgkins, becoming part of another family in the process. She became a new sister-in-law when she married Les, and became Aunt Islay to additional nieces and nephews and their children as well.

 
~ Islay driving a tractor, and coming off a plane in Barbados

She’d always loved to travel and be on the move. And she loved to drive. I remember her little red Vega eating up the miles for several years. She and Les went on trips in their Ram Charger and later their van. She was also known to have driven a tractor as a girl, and flew the friendly skies to Barbados and British Columbia.

~ Islay with sons Rob, Andrew, David and Jim, daughter-in-law Mary, and close family friend Mark who called her Mom

All those kids of hers inevitably grew up, but we’d all come back for special events and just to touch base with her, and home. Her own children did this, and so did a few others who started out as our friends, but would come to spend time with her as Mom as well.

~ Islay with her five grown children at a Brown family reunion

There was a parade of cats as far back as I can remember, with a few dogs here and there. Mr. McGinty and Rufus were just a few of the well-loved pets. Other dogs, cats, and a horse or two, would stop by their house to visit.

 
~ Islay with their cat Mr. McGinty in the yard, and with their dog Rufus surrounded by Christmas presents

Islay’s five kids gave her nine grandchildren and at last count a dozen great-grandchildren.

~ Islay with some of her grandchildren in her backyard

Through her two stepsons she amassed a dozen more grandchildren as well as great-grandchildren.

~ Les with some of his and Islay’s grandchildren

~ Some of Islay’s grandchildren at a family reunion

Islay outlived all her brothers and sisters, and became a surrogate mother for her nieces and nephews, and grandmother to all of their progeny. She was the matriarch at the yearly Brown family reunions.

~ Islay, front and center at a family reunion

~ Islay sitting on the front step of the house she grew up in

Islay created and nurtured a tremendous legacy, branching off into new families and new loves. She has been gone from us for eight years and we miss her so much. Here’s to you, Mom, and the deep and loving impact you had on so many lives.