Obituary for
Marcia Elizabeth “Liz” Hawley (Gould)
MARCIA ELIZABETH “LIZ” HAWLEY (nee GOULD), 60, was killed on July 29, 2020 in Niagara-on-the-Lake in an automobile accident. Daughter of the late John (1975) and Marcia (2009), she is survived by her husband John, her three brothers; Hal (Kim), Jay (Jan), Tim (Bonnie), her three children; Adam (Brianne), Ransom (Whitney), Jay (Samantha), and her six grandchildren; Ransom, Merritt, Easton, Callie, Malcolm, and Levi. She was an unbelievable wife, mother, nana, sister, and friend. Her love for her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was evident to all who knew her, and compelled her to continually find ways to love those around her.
During her life, Liz gave much of her free time to supporting women that were escaping abuse and recovering from addiction. She directed proceeds from her businesses to organizations that fought human trafficking, and she would often spend hours a day praying, talking, crying, and laughing with friends when they needed help through dark times or wanted to celebrate milestones and victories.
Liz was a gifted and celebrated interior designer. She found outlets for her incredible creativity in everything she did, including in Refuge Antiques & Giftery, a beloved store in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and in her unique sense of style, her jewelry designs, her poetry, her sense of humour, and play time with her grandchildren.
Liz and John and their sons moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake from Toronto in 1991 and never looked back. She loved her adopted hometown, and her positive impact and legacy can be felt through her visionary work as a Co-Founder of The Village neighbourhood and the cherished Farmers’ Market and SupperMarket community events, as well as her invaluable behind the scenes efforts helping John with his role on the important work of creating the Landscape of Nations memorial at Queenston Heights, and the Voices of Freedom park in Old Town.
Her favourite place and refuge was the family cottage in Ridgeway, where she would find rest and peace with John, and laughter and fun with her children and grandchildren. There she designed beautiful spaces for her family to relax, create, and enjoy one another’s company. It is impossible for her family to express just how much she will be missed.
A private Funeral Service for family will be held on Friday, August 7, 2020. A celebration of life will be held at a location and on a date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Joy Smith Foundation and/or Rising Angels.
Memories, photos and condolences may be shared at www.morganfuneral.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Marcia Elizabeth Liz
Hawley Gould 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Niagara-on-the-Lake, Province: Ontario
Dear John and family,
Our hearts go out to you at this time, as mourn the loss of your beloved Liz!
We cherish the memories of our time with her, witnessing her joy for life, her kind spirit, her firecracker personality and the love for her Father.
We are so grateful to have been able to call her friend!
Love John and Lorri Kendall
We send our sympathies, our love and our tears and smiles to John, Adam , Ransom and Jay . Liz is a bright spark snuffed out to tragically soon! Never forgotten , always loved.
Love jo and Tom
Barney , Rainbo, Oliver and Liberty
Devastating.
Thinking of all you Goulds, Weldons, Lowrys and Hawleys.
Dear John and family, Hal, Tim, and Jay and there respective families,
I am Anne Thomson, my mother and father, Dolores and Bill now deceased were friends of Mr.&Mrs. Gould.
As a child we spent time with Liz and the family. Liz was a beacon of light, and had a tremendous presence even as a young girl. She was so loved being the only girl, and I can still visualize the Brantford house, the cottage and days we spent there. I ran into Liz when she was an adult, she was so beautiful just as I remembered, kind and so excited to see me, as I was her, it was as if time had stood still. I couldnt believe as a adult how much she looked like her father, as he was sooooo handsome she was soooo beautiful.
My heart goes out to you all, and our prayers are with you.
Would you please be able tell Hal, Jay, and Tim how sorry I am for there loss as well.
Kindest Regards,
Anne(Thomson)Jollymore
Our hearts are just broken. The tragic loss of Liz will be felt by everyone who she ever had any contact or connection with. Our thoughts and love and support are being sent to the beautiful loving family she was so proud of.
Love
Patti, John and Eric Bauer (CIBC notl)
Dear John and Hawley family – although we very recently met and had not spent much time in each other’s company, Liz and I hit it off as if our friendship was a longtime event. I cannot begin to imagine what this loss must be like for you and your family. It is very difficult to believe she’s simpy gone! In this day and age of covid-19 deaths and changes in lifestyles, Liz’s sudden death is impossible to grasp! I send my condolences, although words are so inadequate to illuminate what you and the family must be feeling. Please know that my thoughts are with you, and my personal respect and love for Liz will continue forever. I treasure having had the opportunity to meet you both last November when I came to NOTL from the States, I treasure the earrings I bought that are made by Liz, and I will always treasure knowing you and Liz. She lives in my heart and mind always. Sending blessings to you, wishing you strength to somehow get through this, and sending you my best hugs and good thoughts. Dori & Larry Berger, Durham, NC, USA
Dear John and family. Please accept my condolences as well as those from the rest of the Kinnaird family (Daphne,Simon,Suzan & Tim) .
We are so sorry to hear this terrible news. Thinking of your family and sending all of our love and condolences.
– Whitney & David Cote
In 1967 my family had the good fortune of moving in across the street from the Goulds. The moving van had barely departed when there was a knock on the door—a precocious little girl was inviting my parents over to for welcoming cocktails with her parents. She remarked to my mother how much she much liked the stone statue which had just been placed on the terrace and wanted to know his name. When told he didn’t have one yet, the girl said, “He looks like a Bob”. The little girl was 7 year old Lizzie and ‘Bob’ moved with my parents to their many homes over the next 50 years! I was lucky to have the best baby sitting job in the world as I spent several nights each week for the next 3 years in the Gould’s comfortable den watching TV with Liz and chatting and laughing way past her bedtime before falling asleep on the olive green corduroy down filled sofa! In 1978, the now teenaged Liz became a fellow classmate at the Inchbald School of Design in London. Marcia had rented a flat nearby and we enjoyed a great winter of drinks parties, dinners, theatre and museum going—and of course, school. I was thrilled to follow Liz’s successful design career and when our paths occasionally crossed in Toronto, New York, Florida and NOTL, we loved sharing our many fond memories.
I was stunned like everyone else when my brother shared the tragic news of Lizzy’s accident last week. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to John, their sons and grandchildren, to Hal and Jay and Tim and the entire Gould-Weldon-Lowry-Crewes and Hawley families. Her vibrant bigger than life personality and incredible creative spirit will live on in all who were privileged to have known and loved her. ❤️
Stephen Caldwell
Bowen Island, BC