Baird (nee: Gellatly), Ann Kelso
Apr 25, 1915 – Feb 6, 2006
It is with great sadness we,
her two sons, announce the
passing of our loving mother.
BAIRD—Ann Kelso (nee Gellatly), RN, 90, of Alloa, Grangemounth, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Enfield, London, Bournemouth, Halifax, Toronto, Guelph, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Kenora, Ajijic, Denman Island, and Comox passed away peacefully in her sleep at 4:50 AM on February 6, 2006 at Eagleview Extended Care in Comox, BC. Beloved wife of Major William Chisholm and loving mother to John Cameron of New York and Roger David of Denman Island and grandmother of Renardo Narita, Naima Maya and Charlotte Logan Sytnyk, great-grandmother of Sarah Eileen Sytnyk and Shelby Katherine Sytnyk and devoted mother-in-law of Sharon-Amber and Miho Narita. Born in Alloa on April 25, 1915, the eldest child of Provost John Gellatly and Anne Gellatly, she graduated Dollar Academy and pursued a nursing career in Scotland. With the advent of WWII she moved to London where she continued nursing, studied public health at London University, and when the War resulted in a demand for available physicians, she contributed to the war effort by delivering babies as a midwife. Ann was married on August 29, 1943 in Middlesex, England and later, in anticipation of D-day, moved with her husband and his regiment to Bournemouth where they had their first child. Shortly after D-day she moved to London where she resided with her son until several months after V-E day when they made the crossing by ship to Halifax (presaging the 50,000 war brides and 22,000 children that were to arrive through Pier 21) where they stayed with William’s relatives Don and Marjorie Barteaux while awaiting William’s return to Canada. Ann was active in the arts and served over 30 years as a volunteer with the Winnipeg Art Gallery and was an active participant in the Gallery’s study group. Several times she won the group’s annual prize for making a food dish that closely approximated a known work of art. With her husband she enjoyed visiting her sons in Manhattan where they celebrated many New Years together at the Metropolitan Club. Ann was a member of the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic and with her husband, belonged to the Winnipeg Winter Club and Niakwa Country Club. Ann will be sadly missed by her family and extended family including Roger and Jacquie James, Helen & Jock McLennan, and Mary Rueckert, and her many friends. She enjoyed helping people and her personal concern and desire to help will live on in those she touched. Ann’s husband, William, predeceased her on October 27, 1999. She is survived by her brothers John W. Stewart H., and Cyril James, and a sister Jean Schaefer. In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome donations to the Riverview Health Center, or to the Winnipeg Humane Society in her memory. Mother, we love you, miss you, and think you were terrific. May you rest in peace. Arrangements by: Comox Valley Funeral Home, 1101 Ryan Rd., Courtenay, BC, V9N 3R6, Phone 250-334-0707. A Service to celebrate her life will be held in Winnipeg on Tuesday, April 25 (her 91st birthday) at the Winnipeg Winter Club, 200 River Avenue, at 2:30 PM.