Obituary
Born in New Westminster on June 23, 1937, Lila Ann Deptuck (nee McDonald) passed away of natural causes at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge on November 8, 2021, at 84 years of age. Lila grew up in Greenwood BC, the daughter of pioneering entrepreneur and prospector Joseph McDonald and Rose Bombini, whose family helped put Greenwood on the map. Her time as a young girl was spent among extended family and farms in Greenwood in the forties; she had two sisters, Sherry and Jill, and a brother, Joey. Lila grew to love animals: cats, and in particular horses, especially Arabians.
The family moved to Penticton during Lila’s teenage years, and she grew into quite an attractive young lady. Lila married a Canadian baseball player, had two sons, and her life in the late 50’s and early 60’s had her traveling far and wide as her husband’s pro career unfolded in many US and even a few South American cities. Always adept as wife and homemaker, Lila had a reputation as an excellent cook.
When her first marriage ended, she came back to her homeland in the early 70’s with her sons and worked as a dental assistant for a time, before moving away from the coast in 1977 to be closer to family in Grand Forks. She managed to acquire some property near sister Jill’s, and acquired Jason, her prized Arabian horse, along with (over time) many cats and her little terrier Waif. She met her second husband, the wonderfully funny Ray Deptuck in Grand Forks in the early 80’s, and they remained happily together through 2018 when Ray sadly passed away.
Lila developed memory issues during the most recent years of her life, but still knew her sons and could remember things from ‘the good old days’ as her time with us waned. She always kept an eye out and a mother’s concern for younger son Brad, who was born an American and lived in Arizona, too far from his loving Mom.
After her passing it really come to light how many family members (of quite a few still scattered across BC) she had touched during her life and how well and fondly she was remembered by them; this is such a fitting tribute to her.
Lila leaves two sons: Ted Bowsfield, and wife Janice of Pitt Meadows (with granddaughters Jessica of Abbotsford; Marissa of Winnipeg; and of course, great-grandson Henry); and Brad Bowsfield (with grandson Austin) of Mesa, AZ.
In sorrow and in parting from her boys: ‘We love you and the memories we have of you will carry you along with us for the rest of our days; rest in peace Mum’.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lila Ann (McDonald) Deptuck, please visit our floral store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Lila Ann McDonald Deptuck June 23 1937 November 8 2021 (age 84)..
Death notice for the town of: Maple Ridge, Province: Colombie britanique