Carola Christina Howley Manchester
July 31, 1941 – March 27, 2022
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Carola Christina Howley Manchester of Cole Harbour passed away peacefully at Dartmouth General Hospital on March 27,2022 after a year long undiagnosed illness. Born in Hallifax on July 31,1941 to Lt.Cdr.Duncan Fletcher, a Yorkshireman and career naval officer who was former aide-de-camp to Newfoundland’s governor where at government house in St.John’s he met her mother Kathleen Howley, Kathleen was the granddaughter of James Howley, who mapped much of Newfoundland seeking mining opportunities and paved the way for building the railway across the province.Carola loved Newfoundland and Labrador and was incredibly proud of her heritage. She travelled there whenever she could.
At age ten Carola lost her mother. Being the oldest of five children she assumed and maintained that maternal role throughout her life. For the family In those early years there was travel back and forth between Newfoundland and England and Ireland where she was schooled. As a young woman she worked in Guildford outside London at Harvey’s department store where she made friends that have remained loyal for over sixty years. Returning to Canada with her son she lived in Halifax and then in Montreal. It was there she met and later married William Manchester, a young physician from Ottawa. With Bill she began the life of a military wife having postings in Shearwater, Greenwood and then back to Halifax. She had numerous jobs over the decades in many different vocations; Carola made friends wherever she landed. From favourite waiters to random connections off Kijij she collected people. At Xmas there wasn’t enough room to display all the cards she got from numerous friends around the globe. She was a consummate hostess who always worried about her guests. Carola was the life of the party and incredibly witty right until the end. In her soft English accent she gave us a constant stream of funny stories from a life well lived that was full of incredible experiences. One of the final social events she enjoyed was celebrating her 80th birthday last summer. Carola will live on in our hearts and her unyielding love will be remembered for the rest of our days by all of us who loved her as well.
She is survived by Bill ,her husband of nearly forty years, her son Guy Earle and grandson Eric of Halifax, her stepson Kristian Manchester (Nadine Boileau) and grandsons Lukas and Zach and her stepdaughter Jessica Manchester (Alberto Bobbera) and granddaughter Bianca, all of Montreal. She is also survived by her siblings Sarah (Dr.Gerald Coleman) of Victoria BC, Clodagh Thessen of Brighton, England, Richard Fletcher of Heart’s Delight NL, and Duncan Fletcher of Mahone Bay,NS..
Carola has been cremated under the direction of the Dartmouth Funeral Home. Raised catholic, Carola was a woman of faith and believed there was something better waiting for her out there. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. She thrived living by the ocean and wished her ashes to be scattered upon the waves..
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Carola Christina Howley Manchester July 31 1941 March 27 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Dartmouth, Province: Nova Scotia