Obituary of Laura Phyllis Paterson
We regret to announce the death of Laura Phyllis Paterson, 88, formerly of Port Hawkesbury, on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at Inverary Manor, Inverness, NS.
Laura was born in, East London, South Africa in 1934 and moved to Zimbabwe as a child. She spent most of her life there. She did a secretarial course after school and worked as a bookkeeper before marrying Bob Dell in 1955. They had two daughters, Shirley and Cheryl. Bob was a career civil servant; they were transferred to Switzerland for a short time and then for three years to London. In 1980 on Bob’s retirement, they moved from Zimbabwe and settled in Port Alfred, South Africa. They enjoyed this time mixing with many ex-Zimbabweans playing tennis, golf and soaking up the sun.
Bob died in 1988 and Laura married a fellow Zimbabwean, Gordon Paterson, a retired mechanical engineer in 1991. Laura and Gordon continued living in Port Alfred until 2000 when they took an opportunity to come to Canada to join Laura’s daughter Cheryl in Port Hawkesbury. Gordon died in 2018. Laura became ill in 2021 and then transferred to Inverness Manor.
Laura was a great sportswoman and enjoyed the outdoors. She played representative tennis and enjoyed social golf and bowls in her latter years. She was a keen bridge player spending many happy hours at the Evergreen Club. She was very fond of dogs and was never without a four-footed friend. Her garden was her joy. She worked and created many of these over her life in many challenging climates. As she often said, “gardening forever, housework whenever.”
She will be remembered with great love and affection and sadly, missed by Shirley and Americo, Cheryl and Dennis and stepson Roger and Sandy and their families. She was a beloved grandmother of Daniella, Dale, Graham and Robert and great granny to Amelia, Ollie, and Luca.
A date for a celebration of Laura’s life will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Port Hawkesbury. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haversrocks.com
In Loving Memory
Laura Paterson
1934 - 2023
