Obituary of Pamela Noreen Medland

MEDLAND --- Pamela Noreen (Hill) January 10,1921 -- November 3,2005 Pamela passed away suddenly but peacefully on Thursday, November 3rd, 2005 at the age of eighty-four. She is survived by her daughters Linda (North Vancouver), Laura and her husband Gary Redhead; grand-daughters Kristin (Regina) and Kitt (Golden, BC); niece Gillian and nephew John of England; nieces Margot, Leslie, Caroline, Maryanne, Wendy and nephew Chris, all of Winnipeg, and their families; half-brother Patrick Hill and family; and many dear family friends from earliest days in Regina and London. Pam and her sister Jennie were pre-deceased by their parents, William and Georgina (Haskins) Hill, sister Peggy and her husband Spencer. Pamela was born and educated in London and married airman Frederick Monteith Medland of Winnipeg in 1944. She came to Canada by ship as a war-bride with six-month old Linda in 1945. The family came to Regina in 1949 via Winnipeg and Saskatoon, moving to the white stucco house on Winnipeg Street when Laura was born. As a single parent from 1953 on, our mother didn't have an easy time, but all our lives were enhanced by the generous love and support of our dear family friends - relationships which have continued through two generations. Mothers strength was admirable. She went to work - first in the lab at the Regina General Hospital and then operating its Medical Library. She walked to work until she was able to purchase our first car (a uniquely painted yellow and black Hillman). The following job was her favourite - acting as Science Reference Librarian at the University of Regina, where she loved doing research for the professors. Although the war had prevented her from attending university earlier, she earned straight A's one summer in the graduate library science programme at the University of Illinois ( Urbana-Champaign). Over the years and into retirement she cherished spending time with her grand-daughters, helping with the inner-city Breakfast Club at St.Paul's, Meals-on-Wheels, and the Food for Learning programme, and she supported many charities. Arts and literature have been an essential part of our mother's life. Always a voracious reader, Mother shared her love of books with us. She studied calligraphy and water-colour painting, conversational French, upholstery, and audited university classes. She looked forward to the Regina Symphony, Musical Club, Mackenzie Art Gallery events and dance performances. The opera trips to Minneapolis with her friends were always treasured, and she loved her trips to England, France, Italy, Portugal, Maui and many Saskatchewan provincial parks. Pam loved her family, her friends, her cats (especially Minty), flowers, her garden, the birds and rabbits which visited there, sunshine, art, music and having a cup of tea. She was proud and supportive of her family and will be greatly missed. Our gratitude and many thanks to Dr. W. Wojcik, Dr. J. Deptuch and staff in RGH Emergency for their care and compassion for all of us; family physician, Dr. Douglas Hunter; Velda Clark and the wonderful nursing staff of the Palliative Care (Pasqua Hospital). A celebration of Pam's life will be held at St.Paul's Cathedral, 1861 McIntyre Street at 12th Avenue, on Tuesday Nov.8th at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers and in loving memory of Pamela, donations will be most gratefully accepted by organizations close to Mother's heart: Regina Symphony, Regina Palliative Care Inc., Regina Humane Society or Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan. An on-line book of condolences may be signed at www.speersfuneralchapel.com