Patricia Merle Hamilton passed away peacefully on November 7, 2021 at the age of 84. Beloved daughter of the late Keith and Merle (nee Calnan) Reynolds, she grew up on a farm near Picton with her siblings, the late Glynn Reynolds (Sheila), Doug Reynolds (the late Bea), the late Sandra Stacey (the late Marvin), Brian Reynolds (Chris), and Mervyn Reynolds (Barb).
She was a graduate of Macdonald Institute (now University of Guelph) with a Bachelor of Household Science. Her friendships with fellow Mac ’59 classmates remained treasured for over 60 years.
While at Guelph, she met a young “Aggie” who would become her life partner. Pat was the beloved wife of Carman, and devoted mother of Richard (Sharon), Kathy, Elaine, Mark (Mikako) and Jill (Feng Jia). She will be dearly missed by her grandchildren Lorne and Lindsay Hamilton, Amy Smith, and Lexi Jia, and her extended Reynolds and Hamilton families. Pat’s deep connection to family is a virtue she modelled her whole life.
A dedicated “career Mom”, Pat tended a warm loving home for her family, first in the suburban setting of Willowdale, then on a farm on the River Road in Ops Township, and finally in the town of Lindsay. She leaves a legacy of decades of diary entries in which she documented her family life, wonderful sense of humour, and many moments of laughter in the home.
The family will forever be grateful for all the love and care she received from the staff at Extendicare Kawartha Lakes.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. Donations and condolences may be made at Mackey Funeral Home, 33 Peel Street, Lindsay, or online at www.mackeys.ca.
A private family gathering will take place.
Pat’s Story
Pat spent most of her youth living on the family dairy farm, near Picton, Ontario. She attended Woodrous Corners Public School, which was located on the corner of the home farm, then Picton High School through Grade 13. In the fall of 1955, she enrolled at MacDonald Institute in Guelph, to take the 4-year B.H.Ec. degree program in Home Economics. At the college, she lived in MacDonald Hall for her first 3 years, then Watson Hall in her 4th year. She was active in a variety of student events while a member of the class of Mac ’59. (Pat still treasures her Mac ‘59 friendships as the group continues to hold annual reunions).
During the fall of her first year, she got to know a 3rd year “Aggie”, by the name of Carm Hamilton. After dating for several months, they became “pinned” (next best thing to being engaged) in the spring of ’56.
During the summers of her college years, Pat worked at several resorts, including ‘Elgin House’ in Muskoka; and the ‘White Horse Restaurant’, in Paris, Ont. Following her graduation in the spring of 1959, Pat was hired to be the Home Economics teacher in Watford District High School, starting in September. To qualify for the position, she spent the summer attending Teachers’ College in Toronto and then taught for one year in the Watford, Ontario high school.
While both were enjoying new careers, Pat and Carm next planned their wedding for mid-August of 1960. Pat succeeded in becoming the Home Ec. teacher at Clarke Road Secondary School in London, Ontario for that fall. She spent the early part of that summer continuing her training at Teachers’ College. She and Carm rented an apartment on Park Avenue, about a block from the high school. Pat taught there for one year, before retiring to give birth to Richard, their firstborn. They lived there until the end of April ’62, when Carm became Associate Ag. Rep. for Renfrew County. In the town of Renfrew, Ontario they then rented a house on Jennett Street. Keith and Merle (Pat’s parents) were also living in Renfrew at that time, as Keith had passed the Picton dairy farm on to son, Doug, and was working for the Ministry of Agriculture as a Dairy Fieldman. Pat and Carm’s first daughter, Kathryn, was born in Renfrew in July ’63.
On May 1, 1964 Carm was promoted by the Ministry to be Assistant Supervisor (and then Supervisor from 1966) of Youth Extension, working from Toronto to manage the 4-H Agricultural Club programs across the province, and serve as Secretary/Treasurer for the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario. The family purchased a new house on Grove Park Crescent in Willowdale (North York), in Toronto, where they lived for the next 12 years. Keith was also promoted to a Provincial Management position by the Dairy Branch of the Ministry, and they moved to Willowdale too.
In 1965, Elaine was born at East York Hospital, the nearest hospital to Willowdale at the time. By 1969, North York General Hospital was built near the 401 highway, just south of the family home. Mark was born there that year, followed by Jill in 1971. Pat had planned to return to teaching, but with 5 children she remained a dedicated “career Mom”.
Pat’s new life as a full-time Mom and housewife quickly expanded as the children arrived filling the house with jolly jumpers, cloth diapers, Barbie dolls and GI Joes. Life in Toronto was filled with laughter of family and friends coming and going. Pat was grateful for the support of nearby Reynolds family members as well as other young families in the area. Winters were spent teaching the kids to skate on the backyard rink, playing board games, and staging performances on the large toy box in the playroom. Summers were spent on camping adventures, picnics, cycling, playing kick the can, hide and seek, making forts out of blankets, and on the swing set or in the sand box in the backyard. The years were marked by 5 sets of fingerprints at various heights throughout the house, and the front door was always busy as she saw one kid out just as another would sneak back in.
Pat shared her love of books with her kids by reading them stories. “Anne of Green Gables” and “Pippi Longstocking” were among the favourites. The mobile library that would appear at the corner plaza was always an exciting adventure. Sewing classes from her college days came in handy as she started making clothes for the family. Church activities, including choir and square dancing, were enjoyed by all. Chores and fresh air were always encouraged by Pat, with Saturday mornings and after dinner being the only TV time. She implemented an incentive program for extra treats – one cent for every 10 weeds pulled from the lawn as long as the roots were attached, so we had the best lawn in the neighbourhood. She helped with kids’ paper routes and supported Boy Scout/Girl Guide activities. Pat made sure reduce/ reuse/recycle were dutifully practiced, long before it was popular, and she was teased a lot for having the cleanest garbage.
The family remained in Toronto until 1976 when Pat and Carm chose to return to rural life as Carm became the Agricultural Representative for Victoria & Haliburton Counties, with an office in Lindsay, Ontario. The move to a 50-acre farm on River Road (just south of Lindsay) and to raising a flock of sheep, was a huge change for everyone, especially Pat. For the first time in 14 years, she had days to herself as the last of the kids went off to school. She started volunteering with Telecare and joined the women’s Church group, who still gathered while some were in their 80’s and 90’s. Her days were also busy with farm and garden chores and she became a midwife to countless newborn lambs. “Mom’s Taxi” for delivering kids to 4-H club, band, hockey, school dances, part-time jobs, even extended to taking sheep to market in the back of the family station wagon. Year by year this role switched to driver training for 5 kids. Despite her careful instruction, she would still stay up past curfew until all of her kids returned safely home.
She mastered many of her mother’s and Mac ‘59 recipes and Pat’s casseroles, desserts and Easter eggs were especially loved by the whole family. She started sending cookies, jams and afghans to the Lindsay Farmers Market every week along with “Farmin’ Carman’s” produce from his 1-acre garden. Her “monster” and ginger snap cookies always sold out quickly, and also became a popular tradition at Reynolds’ golf gatherings. Despite her own sweet tooth, Pat’s kids fondly remember her careful rationing of snacks, and her cookie tin labelled “Only 2 a day!”
Pat also took up cross country skiing and spent hours on skis in the winter months, and walking in the other months, with first Brutus and then Nimbus, the farm dogs who were Pat’s constant companions. Thanks to Carm’s passion for gardening, the family enjoyed fresh produce much of the year, and Pat preserved homegrown fruit and vegetables every year. As the kids started to move out and the house got quieter, she spent a lot of time reading, and watching hockey and baseball on TV. She loved her piano and listening to music, especially recordings by her talented siblings. She also travelled (2 hours each way) to visit her Mom, Merle, once a week until she passed. Pat’s deep connection to family is a virtue she has modelled her whole life. A highlight in her later years was returning to her childhood home, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, with her beloved siblings aboard a private plane and then by limousine, chartered by her eldest brother Glynn.
Pat was an avid letter writer and soon her letters travelled around the world following her kids and keeping them updated on family and news from home. She always added a comic or newspaper clipping that she thought would make them smile or think. Pat travelled as far as Japan to visit Mark, and Australia to visit Elaine and meet Amy. She also criss-crossed Canada visiting Vancouver, Jasper and Calgary with her daughter Kathy. The two travel companions could also be found “closer to home”. Visiting Doug and Bea at their cottage near Cherry Valley, Ontario (near Picton) was a favourite destination. The arrival of each of her grandchildren brought much joy to Pat over the years and she cherished every visit and moment she got to spend with them.
As family moved further from home, and caring for farm animals and a giant garden became demanding for just the two of them, Pat and Carm moved to a beautiful home at 1 Oliver Court in Lindsay, in November 2002. In purchasing the home, Pat’s biggest priority was having enough room for all of her kids and grandkids to stay on holidays. Carm’s condition was being able to sneak some veggies into the spacious flower gardens. They both enjoyed long walks along the nearby Scugog River, continued to support the Lindsay Farmer’s Market, and adjusted to life “in town” again.
Regretfully from the summer of 2012, Pat started experiencing memory problems and in 2014 was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. By the winter of 2016, the challenges of living in their 2-storey home became problematic, so the family arranged for Pat & Carm to move together to excellent facilities at Extendicare, Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay.
Pat passed away peacefully on November 7th, 2021. Daughter Kathy was at her side. Pat leaves a legacy of 60 years of diary entries in which she documented her family life, wonderful sense of humour, and many moments of laughter in the home. These treasured stories from Pat are complemented by Carm’s prolific photographs over the years.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Pat Hamilton Sunday November 7 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Lindsay, Province: Ontario