We were blessed with not only a good neighbour but also a good friend. We will remember Germaine for her lovely smile and her kindness and generosity. She will be dearly missed.
Hello Nadine and family,
I can't believe how fast time passes, I still think of the families gatherings with the mysterious foods and your dad's records playing . Aunt Gerry is going to be missed !!!
You will always be remembered by me Aunt Gerrie. I love you. Again so sorry for your loss Nadine, John, Mackenzie & Tyler. Sending you hugs, warmth & I am sure you have so many fond memories to keep her memory alive in your hearts. xo
To the family of Germaine Derby,
We have had the honor of living next door to Germaine, for twenty-two years. Germaine and George were wonderful neighbours.
We heard of Germaine’s passing last week and it filled us with sadness and sense of loss.
Throughout many years, we shared our experiences of our young children growing, into teenagers and then adults. Germaine always offered support and we shared the stories of our loved ones; In our stories of of joy and sadness alike, Germaine was always empathetic. She recognized the best qualities of our imperfect family, reminding me often how wonderful Mary, Anthony, Natasha, and Emma are and how privileged I am to live in their company.
There were times when living beside Germaine, was less than idyllic, at least from the point of view of a much less ambitious homeowner: Germaine often expressed different theories of why, after a heavy rainfall, water would gather at the foot of her driveway and much to my consternation, the source of this pond was thought to be connected to Mary’s ingenuity or my negligence.
Many times, Germaine would say “Anthony is a good boy! He is a really good boy! Yes, he is!” or “Mary works so hard! Steve, she never stops”. At times her praise, conspicuous in its omission of my name, gave me pause for concern.
Germaine’s sociability could be dangerous at times. On occasion I arrived home, desperately in need to use the washroom. Germaine would engage in conversation until I had to end the exchange in an abrupt manner.
In all seriousness, I could never maintain the standards that Germaine set for herself. She worked tirelessly on her home and garden.
When George died, she survived and was not defeated in grief, but managed to fight through pain.
Germaine was very proud or her children and grandchildren and would often talk about their accomplishments. She talked of her grandchildren, Mackenzie, and Tyler, with love and pride, but never in the spirit of bragging. She spoke as if their beautiful qualities, and educational accomplishments were transcendent, and she was in awe of her grandchildren.
We learned of Germaine’s passing on October 20th, Mary’s birthday. The news was very powerful and sad for us.
Today there was a heavy rain; I came home to see the pool or water at the foot of Germaine’s driveway and tears came to my eyes.
Germaine, you were a wonderful person! We will miss you.
With much love from,
Mary, Steve, Anthony, Natasha, and Emma