16 August 1945 – 17 June 2023
Passed away at the St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Elliot Lake on Saturday June 17, 2023 at the age of 77. She is survived by her precious Rory “Dar Dar” of 55 years and by her children Eleanor (David), Ciaran, Niall (Melissa) and by her grandchildren Nolan, Connor, Colby and Jude.
She will also be missed by many relatives in Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and U.S.A.
Victoria and Rory started their relationship as penpals around 1960 while he lived in England and she in Hong Kong, BCC (British Crown Colony).
In 1967, Rory eventually “made it” to Hong Kong and their relationship and love blossomed from there.
In 1968, Victoria came to Canada and they were married in Toronto on 18th of March 1968. The “holding hands” then began in earnest!
Talking about their relationship, Victoria has said many times that even as a teenager she just knew they were destined for each other.
Best summarised by Fr. Paul who on more than one occasion remarked to them “Still holding hands after all these years”!
That perhaps is how so many in Elliot Lake “see” or think of them.
The hand holding has ended and now Rory’s precious “Dar Dar” Victoria is safe home in God’s loving hands.
Victoria’s working life started in Hong Kong where, being fluent in Cantonese, she taught English in a junior school on Hong Kong Island.
Upon arrival in Canada, Victoria took a little time to become acclimatised, even experiencing snow for the first time! She joined The Bibliocentre, then a division of Ryerson Polytechnic and continued on with it when it merged with Centennial College until she retired from her career there as a Library Technician 36 years later in 2006.
After retirement, Victoria and her husband moved to Elliot Lake and found a community they grew to love and never looked back. Extensive leisure travel commenced in 2007 when they were invited by their long time friend Roger Whittaker to join his Europian concerts in Germany and Holland for the last two weeks of the tour – and where Roger again included a special song, “You Are My Miracle” announcing “this is Vicky’s favourite song”!
After Europe, Victoria and her husband ventured further afield, to Japan for ten days. So enamoured by the country and their friends there, they returned in 2010 and 2014, this time venturing back to Hiroshima and continuing on to see and experience Nagasaki in person.
Victoria’s husband and their children want to offer their profound thanks to Elliot Lake’s St. Joseph’s Hospital for the wonderful and excellent care extended to her. A very special thank you goes out to Dr. Michael Stirling and to Dr. Barry Wannan for the superb way they looked after Victoria, complying with her wishes with great kindness and compassion. Thank you also to all the many staff who looked after Victoria; Chris in Chemo deserves a special thank you.
Outside of SJH, thanks also to all the Bayshore Home Care Nurses, Karla in particular; thank you to the Sault Area Hospital where Victoria received excellent care when she went there for radiation; and finally, thank you to the amazing Dr. Asma Ali, Victoria’s oncologist at the NE Cancer Centre.
Visitation will be held at the Elliot Lake Funeral Chapel & Cremation Centre (36 Ontario Ave) on Sunday June 25 from 6 to 8 pm. Funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday June 26, 2023 at 11 am from Ste. Bernadette’s Parish. Father Paul Conway officiating. Interment to follow at Woodlands Cemetery, Elliot Lake.
Online condolences to the McEvoy family may be made at www.elliotlakefuneralchapel.com