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- Recorded here for future reference. Olive Belle Montgomery was a descent of Alexander Montgomery, U.E.
. OLIVE BELLE COOPER (nee MONTGOMERY)
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Olive Belle Cooper (nee Montgomery). Billie passed away Sunday night surrounded by family at York Central Hospital in Richmond Hill. She will be dearly missed by her husband Sylvan, her children & families. Her legacy will live on in grandsons & granddaughters. She leaves behind her a brother X and was predeceased by sisters Violet & Margaret.
Born March 24, 1925, Billie lived a full & rich life; she was a strong woman with a big laugh & a huge, kind heart. An outgoing force of nature & a woman ahead of her time, she always made time to chat with anyone she met. Friends & family will recall her quick smile, zest for life & a woman constantly on the move, gladly taking on all the challenges of a life well lived.
A descendant of United Empire Loyalists, Billie was proud of her rich Montgomery family heritage. With 18th Century roots that predated Confederation, she had several illustrious ancestors that played a part in the history of Canada: Montgomery's Tavern which served as a staging ground for the rebellion of 1837 was part of family lore; Lucy Maude Montgomery was a distant relative; & when Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery passed away her father received a few hundred Pounds Sterling as inheritance. Her father Oliver was the first property manager at the O'Keefe Centre & her childhood home was full of show biz photos & mementos from the era.
This pride in her heritage led Billie to see it as a duty to take an active role in making her community a better place for all. Billie was a presence in her neighbourhood, making a point of getting to know all the families in the community. Locally she lobbied the old borough of North York to install the first public bocce court after watching her neighbours enjoy the game on a piece of scrub grass by the public school. Billie followed this up by getting lights installed so that her neighbours' enjoyment could continue into the evening. An enjoyment in community service led Billie to found Forgotten Corners rate-payers association providing recreational facilities for a then neglected corner of North York. Billie was also an active member of the Liberal party of Canada & served on the successful campaigns of several MPs for York-West Riding through the 1960s, 1970s & the 1980s. Her long service was rewarded with an honorary position in the Party, a distinction she was rightly proud of. To her family she was a constant inspiration & pillar of support. Billie was always on the go & stressed the importance of service & charity to her children. An active member of the Sisterhood of Beth Am synagogue, she instilled in her children the value of giving, setting an example of what the concept of Mitzvah meant: Billie was always making time to help out the underprivileged, the infirm & anyone in need. At the same time she dearly loved her children & spared no effort in attending to raising them. She taught her children to be open minded, fair & giving.
She stressed the importance of education to her children; with her constant support & encouragement her 3 children all graduated from University. Her many friends will remember Billie as fun-loving & loyal, a woman who enjoyed entertaining at her homes in Toronto & Florida. Billie loved the open road & was always on the go. She had a keen interest in design & decor & an enthusiasm for antiques & curios. She loved pets & especially her Yorkie Mickey, who kept her company on many drives to Florida. Billie spent the last few years at home focusing on family. She took great joy in her children's happiness & accomplishments.
She enjoyed watching her grandchildren growing into fine young men. ... recent grandchildren added smiles & much laughter to her home. Her devoted daughter was a constant support to Billie, & provided much appreciated help whenever it was needed. Dau.X was a tiny baby & at the time this was not as commonplace as it is today. It was only with huge effort & endless dedication from her mother that Sharon went on to thrive, grow strong & grow into the accomplished woman Billie was so proud to call her daughter. Billie delighted in Sharon's world travels & loved to hear her stories & share the pictures she took. In the end, she was her own woman, true to herself as well as family & friends & all our worlds are diminished with her passing. Funeral services will be held at: York Cemetery & Visitation Centre, 160 Beecroft Road, Toronto, (1 block West of Yonge, north of Shepard). Chapel Service commences at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 15th. The family will be hosting a celebration of Billie's life for guests following the service from 3:30 till 9:30 p.m. at home. Published in the Toronto Star from August 14. - - -
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24 Mar 1925 * - 2012