Obituary of Edith Janet Hislop

July 30, 1928 - Heart Valley, Alberta

April 18, 2024 - Calgary, Alberta

In deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Edith J. Hislop on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the age of 95 years. She died holding the hand of her daughter, Jessie-Eloise, and is now blessedly at peace.

Edith was deeply grateful for the love and support of family, friends, and penfriends and was dedicated to honouring those relationships. Over 83 years, she wrote to hundreds of penfriends who shared their lives and brought the world to her through their letters. She treasured the students, families, and colleagues she served wholeheartedly through her deeply fulfilling vocation as a teacher. Edith relished every adventure, special event, and opportunity for learning, and particularly loved natural and human history, gardening, travel, and geography. She faced her greatest life challenge, blindness, with courage and utilized her prodigious memory, wisdom, determination, and sense of humour to push back against the darkness.

She was predeceased by her husband and companion of 52 years, George; her beloved parents, Sam and Ellen Lee (née Noren); her loving brother-in-law Boris, and all her Noren aunts and uncles who surrounded her family in the supportive community of Heart Valley, Alberta. She is survived by her devoted daughter Jessie-Eloise, and sister Joyce Onisko. Joyce was her best friend and lifelong confidant. She loved being ‘Auntie Edie’ to Noreen, Lee (Howard), and Tony (Charlene), and her great-nephews and nieces, Sam, Max, Ivy, and Lily. She appreciated her connections with cousins Evelyn, Bob (Winnie), David, Natalie (Corey), Laurie, Carol (Orvis), and Sonja. So many of her dearest friends and penfriends have gone ahead, but she was so grateful for all those who continued to enrich her life and for her former students who became good friends. Edith and Jessie-Eloise appreciated the loving attention offered in her last eighteen months by her companion, Janine, and the care offered by the staff of St. Andrew’s East, Brentwood Care Centre.

A child of the Depression, she remembered the hard times and was proud of her family’s hard work and resilience, while still recalling injustices. She was, consequently, endlessly grateful for everything she had and for her ability to give, with empathy, to those needing help, both as a volunteer and through donations. She requested that any donation made in her memory be given to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, your local food bank, or a charity of your choice that helps children.

Edith’s wonderful life as a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, teacher, and human dynamo will be celebrated on Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Spirit of Hope United Church, (7909 82 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6C 0Y1) and live-streamed on YouTube at www.spiritofhope.ca for family and friends who are unable to attend in person.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

- Matthew 11:28-29 NIV

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Edith’s family here.

In living memory of Edith Hislop, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-276-2296.