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March 26, 1956 - January 2, 2020
Our dear Anita Louise Brock - mother to Erin (Justin), Grandmother to Isaac and Samuel, daughter to Allan and Pat (both deceased), niece to Dorothy (deceased), sister to Douglas (Sherry), Brenda (Tim), and Helen (Barry), aunt to many nieces and nephews, partner of Stephen, and friend to many, died at her home three months short of her 64th birthday.
Anita was born in Red Deer and grew up on her parents' farm just east of the Joffre bridge.
Anita was a giving person, working 25+ years at Michener Center and then as an educational assistant seeing outreach students through to their high school graduation. She also supported her father during his 4 years in hospital; her grandmother when she needed help in her home; and then was the primary care giver and care coordinator to her beloved Aunt Dorothy.
Anita liked meeting people who often seemed to gravitate toward her unassuming gentleness and kindness.
With her partner Stephen, Anita enjoyed lots of travel, hiking, and music and wine-buying trips as well as many home and garden renovations. She also thoroughly enjoyed a pilgrimage to her family's ancestral home on Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
A highlight of Anita's life was being able to be at her daughter Erin's marriage to Justin, which was held at Justin's family's (McDougall) ancestral castle, Gylen, on Kerrera Island near Oban in Scotland in 2013. Aye!
And when Anita's grandson, Isaac was born, she stepped up to provide him with much love, care, and many unique experiences. Anita would have done as much for her second grandson, Samuel, but for the darn cancer limiting her capacities.
Anita was a keen observer of current affairs. Mornings would often see her down on her haunches in front of the heat vent in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in hand, catching up on the news in the Globe and Mail and Red Deer Advocate. Anita kept close company with many critters over the years including her many dogs, squawky blue jays, and her favorites - orange polydactyl (6 toe) cats.
Anita was diagnosed with a rare cancer in early 2017 and then faced many challenges.
Many thanks for helping Anita are due to staff from Red Deer Home Care; doctors and staff from Unit 32 Palliative Care and Emergency at the Red Deer Hospital especially Dr. Maureen McCall; Dr. Scot Dowden (and team) and Dr. Lyle Galloway and (Palliative Pain team) at the Tom Baker Cancer Center in Calgary; Dr. Willem Myberg and team; Eastview Drugs and the Lending Cupboard. Please know that you all have our immense gratitude.
Lea, Dave and Carol, Bob and Peggy, and others, brought Anita as much normal as was possible. Thank you too so very much.
Anita asked to be cremated with no service or memorial. She would welcome anyone so inclined to do so, to donate, in her memory, to the Medicine River Wildlife Center, the Cat Whiskers Rescue Society, or any other local 'critter focussed' group. Anyone who would like to share comments or stories about Anita is invited to include those at https://www.arbormemorial.ca/en/reddeer/obituaries
We know we have been truly blessed in having had Anita in our lives. We will miss her dearly throughout the remainder of our days.
To paraphrase one of Anita's favorite John Prine songs:
'in spite of everything, let's hope she's now enjoying sitting on a rainbow, enjoying a big door prize.'
 Arbor Memorial