AUSTIN (Champion), Edna Margaret- 92, Skye Glen, Inverness Co., passed away on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, peacefully at home with her family by her side. Born in London, England on July 19, 1924, she was the daughter of the late William and Jessie (Stephens) Champion of Canning Town, London, England. Edna was predeceased by her loving husband of 65 years, Hugh F. Austin. At the outbreak of the Second World War, when Edna was 15, she and her brother were sent out of the city to live with friends in Taunton, Sommerset. On the first day of the blitz in London, her parents returned from the air raid shelter to find their home completely destroyed. At 17, Edna joined the Woman's Land Army which was formed to work the country's farmlands while the men went off to war. She was stationed in Colchester, England. It was there she met her future husband Hugh while he was recovering in hospital after being wounded in D-Day operations in France at the end of the Second World War. They were married on September 15, 1945 in London, England. After the war, Hugh returned to Skye Glen with Edna arriving in Halifax in May 1946 with other British War Brides on the Cunard Line ship Aquitania. While the customs of life in rural Canada were completely new to her; she was warmly welcomed by the Austin family and settled nicely in to the family farm with Hugh and raised their children. Edna was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a wonderful homemaker taking care of the large farm household and her children needs. Edna enjoyed tending to her flower gardens of sweet peas, lilies and roses during the summer. In the winter, she loved to knit while watching her favorite soap operas, and completing the Herald Lexicon. Over the years, she penned many letters to keep in touch with her family and friends overseas. She kept the post office busy with all the birthday cards she mailed out each month. She enjoyed knitting many baby outfits for newborns in the community, sweaters and special Grannie blankets for her grandchildren. In later years when Hugh's eyesight deteriorated, Edna was his eyes, looking after his paperwork, reading the morning Chronicle Herald to him and making sure he looked his best in his legion or traveling attire. Besides her love of flowers, Edna was an avid birdwatcher and patiently awaited each Spring for the usual arrivals and any new birds to her bird feeders. She raised her children by reciting many words of wisdom such as "a stitch in time, saves nine", "these things come to try us" and her favourite "if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well". Edna was a member of the Stewart United Church in Whycocomagh and belonged to the UCW. Edna is survived by daughters, Diana (Linus McCloskey), Cornwall, PEI; Janice, Toronto, Ontario; Patricia (Gerald Noade), Timberlea; and Ella Marie (Terrance Rankin), Fort McMurray, Alberta; sons, Kenneth, Skye Glen; John (Judy), Skye Glen; Lawrence (Petra), Trenton, Ontario; 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by sons, Hedley and Paul; daughter-in-law, Linda, son-in-law, Duncan Johnson; sisters, Jessie Champion and Winnifred Hine and brother, Arthur Champion. She will be fondly remembered by her family and friends at home and in England. The Austin family would like to thank all the homecare and nursing staff from the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital and personal caregiver, Irene Sparkes, for their dedicated assistance and support with Edna's care. Also the family would like to thank sisters Diana and Janice for the loving care they selflessly gave our mother to ensure she stayed comfortable and happy in her own home for her last years. Also many thanks to family members, John, Judy and Kennie for always being there to assist with driving, errands and dropping in for morning coffee visits. Also, the family appreciates the visits from neighbors’, relatives and friends. Visitation will be held from 4- 8p.m., Sunday, September 11, 2016, in Dennis Haverstock Funeral Chapel, Whycocomagh. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Monday in Stewart United Church with Rev. Rachel Campbell officiating. Burial in the Skye Glen–Centerville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Skye Glen-Centerville Cemetery Fund (c/o Isabel Munro P.O. Box 238, Whycocomagh, NS B0E 3M0) or Central Inverness Palliative Care Society (39 James Street, Inverness, NS B0E 1N0) or charity of choice. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at: www.haverstocks.com Visitation Information Visitation Sunday, September 11, 2016 Visitation Time 4-8 p.m. Visitation Location Dennis Haverstock Funeral Chapel, Whycocomagh Service Information Service Date Monday, September 12, 2016 Service Time 11 a.m. Service Location Stewart United Church, Whycocomagh Burial Information Burial Date Monday, September 12, 2016 Burial Time Following funeral service Burial Location Skye Glen Cemetery