(1926 – 2025) Peacefully, in her 100th year, with family at her side. Zillah (née Hull) was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, and trained as a nurse in Belfast before emigrating to Canada in 1950. On her arrival in Toronto, she worked at the Wellesley Hospital, and later assisted renowned heart surgeon Dr. Wilfred Bigelow in setting up and running a clinic for his pioneering procedures at the Toronto General Hospital. In 1954 she married James Gow and they raised a family in Don Mills before retiring to Fergus. Like most emigrants, she never stopped yearning for ‘the old country’; her abiding love for Ireland and the stories she told about her life there, like having her pigtails dipped in the inkwell by Ian Paisley in their country schoolhouse, continue to resonate in our family to this day. Predeceased by husband James in 2013, she is survived by her son, Athol (Debbie); her daughter Robin (Fiore) and her three adored grandchildren, Jenna, Owen and Connor. In accordance with her wishes, a celebration of life (or in her words, ‘a big party’) will be held at a later date. We wish to express our huge gratitude to all the people who helped bring comfort to Zillah in her final years: Emily, Brenda, and Kateryna, her devoted carers; the staff at Highland Manor; Dr. John Stickney, Dr. Chris Lund and Dr. Alvin Janes; and the staff at Groves Memorial Hospital. Memorial donations may be made to Groves Memorial Community Hospital, the Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington, or your local humane society. Please visit www.grahamgiddyfh.com for Zillah’s memorial page and to leave online condolences.
