Obituary

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Beverley Joan Cairns (née Woolmer), on August 18, 2022, in Hawkesbury, Ontario. An elegant and passionate person who saw life in brilliant colors, she fought for her vision of what the world should be and remained fiercely independent to the end. Her life spanned a wide arc, from a Catholic childhood in Montreal, through years of expatriation in Africa and Europe, to her final decades in Elora, Ontario, where she became known and respected for her community involvement. All of this was underpinned by her belief in the paramount importance of family and the critical role of aesthetics and was underpinned by the strength she drew from the Quebec family cottage that she loved with all her heart. It was there that she retired every summer to recharge her batteries, and it was there that she spent her last days. Beverley was born in Montreal, Quebec to Henry (“Harry”) Woolmer and Estelle (“Estie”) Cloutier. She spent her early years with an extended family in Outremont, then moved to Hamilton, Ontario at age 14. Throughout her life, she was strongly influenced by her upbringing in a bilingual and multigenerational family, by her Catholic schooling at Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours and by her difficult hospitalization for polio as a teenager. She studied at the University of Western Ontario, where she met her future husband, John Cairns. In 1951, after their year at the École des Beaux-arts in Montreal, the couple married and embarked the next day for Tanganyika, where John had accepted an administrative position. During seven years in Tanganyika, she encountered a cultural mosaic of Indians, Arabs and tribal groups and realized that the world could be viewed through many different lenses. Her two eldest daughters, Sandra and Lisa, were born around this time—a time that seems shrouded, in her later accounts, in a golden mist. Back in Canada in 1958, she discovered the Quebec property that her parents had acquired for the extended family. This vast log house, situated on the edge of a river, became her sanctuary for life, taking on an almost mythical quality. The next four years were spent in Ontario, where the twins Stéphanie and Éva are born. In 1962, inspired by happy memories of Tanganyika, the family moved and settled in Nigeria. Two years later, her son, Graeme, was born. In 1966, the family once again returned to Canada. However, the plan to settle there was interrupted when, in 1968, John was offered a post at UNESCO in Paris. The prospect of living in Paris was hugely appealing — walking the same streets as so many famous artists, savoring the history that permeates every stone, giving the children a French education — and so the family moved to France. In 1974, the family returned to Canada for good. Inspired by the beautiful historic homes of Europe, John and Beverley undertook painstaking renovations to an abandoned stone house in the heart of the village of Elora. It was their home for the rest of their lives, and with its garden of cultivated wildflowers, it perfectly expressed Beverley’s artistic vision, even if it came at the expense of comfort or practicality. During these years, a close bond was formed with Allegra and Riel, Sandra’s children, whom she helped raise in Elora. As her family responsibilities diminished, Beverley became more and more involved in the Elora community. She threw herself passionately into the issues of heritage designation, architectural conservation, and the arts, while invigorating her own artistic pursuits with a focus on sculpture. Saint Francis of Assisi was close to her heart. Beverley’s guests sometimes had the pleasure of seeing mice running on the kitchen floor and hearing squirrels running in the attic. She insisted that these creatures not be excluded from their home (and hers), dispelling fears of disease or property damage. She loved water; in the last months of her life, her children were astonished to see her slip over the high rim of a snow-covered jacuzzi—despite her extreme fragility—to immerse herself in the delicious heat of the liquid. She was an indefatigable and daring traveler, who especially appreciated a “graceful” accommodation. Until the end, she regularly reminded her children that she would be delighted to rent a villa with them in Italy or to join them for a stay in Thailand. Nothing pleased her more than a late meal by candlelight on a well-laid table, with plenty of wine and conversation, preferably outdoors — and over the years she devoted many hours to preparing such feasts for family and friends. The intellectual curiosity that Beverley displayed throughout her life was an example to all of us. Although often appearing dogmatic, she would quietly revise many of her opinions that had been forcefully expressed over time. No day was complete without a ‘sundowner’ — usually a gin and tonic — and now we toast you, Beverley, in recognition of the many gifts you have given us. Beverley was predeceased by her parents, Harry and Estie Woolmer, her husband, John Crawford Cairns, and her sister, Shirley. She is survived by her five children: Sandra, Lisa (Woody), Stephanie (Eric), Éva (David) and Graeme, six grandchildren: Allegra (Dave), Riel (Melissa), Rowan, Sebastian, Lyra and Anders and four great-grandchildren: Isaac, Calian, Kwaya and Luca. A commemorative celebration will be held in Elora, Ontario in late November. The family is very grateful for the community support without which Beverley’s vision of independence and independent living would not have been possible. Those wishing to make a donation in Beverley’s memory may consider two organizations dear to her heart: TradeAid UK (tradeaiduk.org/) and the Fergus Elora Fergus Arts Council (elorafergusartscouncil.ca/).