CRAIG, Florence Mabel (nee Taylor)
July 17, 1915 - October 15, 2011
Florence was born at home in London, Ontario a little early and spent the next few months in her mother’s apron pocket and passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Comox, BC. How she spent her time in between could fill a library.
She met W. Allan Craig and immediately fell deeply in love with him. They were married the same year (1941) and lived the life of a military family moving 42 times in 20 years, including time spent in England driving around in their Morris car complete with rumble seat that their daughter demanded to sit in regardless of the weather.
Her careers included being the first woman employed by Tilden, being the private secretary to the AirVice Marshall, and secretary to school boards and schools, but her true calling was weaving and fibre arts.
Many people have spent time in her Comox Valley studio inside her home where she taught weaving since the mid 1970s until she was in her 90s. She won a Canada Arts competition for original design with an overshot coverlet that traveled the country on display. She was also commissioned to do many works across the country and was a loved and long time member of the Woolgatherers’ Fibre Arts Guild and could be found every single year at the Filberg Festival demonstrating weaving and spinning, often with her grand daughter at her side. She also spent many years volunteering with Meals on Wheels and bringing companionship and hot meals to people in need.
She was predeceased by her husband Allan and said she never wanted ‘another man she would just have to train all over again’ so she lived out her life in her home on Curtis Road that she loved so much.
She is survived by her only daughter Barbara, her grandchildren Leslie (Alan Jossul) and Craig Eaton, Great Grandchildren Morgan Davies, K. Devon Davies and Jayden Eaton and extended family Janice, Jim, Stephanie, Bonnie, Bill, Linda, Ian, Helen Ann and Gordon (and many more; our deepest apologies if we missed your name here). She will also be deeply missed by Maisie and Mars Godin who were the very best of her friends.
There will be no service at Florence’s request although a memorial tea will be organised at a later date.