Obituary for Rosemary Prue Feasby
Rosemary Prue Feasby (née Carpenter) died peacefully, with her daughters by her side, at St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke in Hamilton, Ontario on the evening of December 1, 2020. She was 79.
Rosie, as she preferred to be called, is already deeply missed by those who knew her.
Born January 25, 1941, in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, Rosie was the daughter of the late Kathleen Lee and Jeston Carpenter. The family lived near Birmingham for her early childhood before moving to Dorset.
Rosie spent much of her life immersed in music, first as a student and then as an accomplished singer and pianist. She was also a dedicated and highly regarded school and piano teacher.
Earning degrees from Newton Park College in Bath, England, and the London College of Music, Rosie sang with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus. She performed in numerous stage productions, including The Mikado, lolanthe, and The Yeoman of the Guard, with both the Bournemouth Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society and the Toronto Gilbert and Sullivan Society. She was mischievously proud of being cast as the tart Ado Annie in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Rosie was taught to see the world through the eyes of a child—a skill she never lost. Her love for children was palpable, and she thrived educating them. Rosie was a teacher at Montessori schools in England and in Canada, after immigrating in 1977. Later, she ran a Montessori-based daycare and taught piano to dozens of students out of her house in Pickering, Ontario. Children of all ages were drawn to Rosie. Their connection remained long after leaving her classroom or home, some well into their adult years. She retired to Dundas, Ontario, in 2007.
A vibrant, passionate and multi-faceted individual, Rosie was a seeker who challenged herself to learn more or find a fresh perspective. She was a voracious reader of newspapers and books, always ready to pass along a clipping or a good read. Art galleries, museums, concert halls and theatres were her stomping grounds. Crosswords, jigsaw puzzles and candid chats over a dry martini filled her down time. Rosie enjoyed music of all kinds from Bach to Handel; Ella to Miles; Peter Gabriel to the Rolling Stones. She loved to garden and cook and was a whiz at Jeopardy. Christmas and Halloween were her most cherished times of the year.
As a respected member of St. James Church in Dundas, Church of the Redeemer in Toronto, and most recently, St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Hamilton, Rosie sang in the choir, and participated in fundraisers, book drives and bazaars. She was also a delivery volunteer for Dundas Meals on Wheels and an occasional pianist for Anglican services at Hamilton’s Macassa Lodge.
Rosie had a lifelong passion for travel, visiting many countries around the world. In recent years, she shared particularly memorable trips to France, Martha’s Vineyard, New Hampshire and Algonquin Park with her partner, Richard. Regular visits back to her family home in Dorset to see her father (prior to his death) and stepmother, Yvonne, were a priority. Those trips let her stay close and connected.
Rosie was known for her lively demeanour, quirky sense of humour and spirited voice. She would brighten any room she entered and make new friends while there. From her students and their families, to her neighbours and fellow churchgoers, those who met Rosie found connection, compassion and a listening ear. Her grandchildren felt especially loved by their Nana, and loved her back equally.
Her memory, love and free spirit will carry on through her daughters, Claire and Sophie; grandchildren, Jonathan, Emily, Tait and Eden; sons-in-law, Tim and Julian; her beloved stepmother, Yvonne; her partner, Richard; his daughters, Noëlle and Monique; Richard’s grandchildren, Luke, Christian, Aaron; and her cherished dog, Bandit.
Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of Rosie’s life for family and friends will follow at a future date.
Rosie’s family would like to extend their immense gratitude to the staff at St. Peter’s Hospital and St. Peter’s Residence at Chedoke in Hamilton for their exceptional care and support over the last 22 months.
Memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to St. Peter’s Hospital in Hamilton and Covenant House in Toronto.
hamiltonhealth.ca/donate/
covenanthousetoronto.ca/
January 25 1941 December 1 2020
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Rosemary Prue Feasby January 25 1941 December 1 2020..
Décès pour la Ville: Dundas, Province: Ontario