It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our mom, Ella Mae Dalton (nee Patterson). She passed away peacefully Monday, Feb 3 at Saanich Peninsula Hospital after a brief fight with pneumonia. She is survived by her brothers Willam (Deborah) and James (Linda), her sons Patrick (Leanne) and Michael (Jennifer), her cherished grandchildren Aidan, Keeley, Liam and Anneka.
Mom’s battle with Multiple Sclerosis was ever present in her life but her determination and perseverance were inspirational as she navigated a full career as a lab technician while raising two spirited boys. She was a horse girl in her early years in Chilliwack and later Hope, and an avid curler who also loved tennis and ice skating. As her MS progressed, she found joy in spending time in the garden on Ridgeview (Kamloops) or crushing all comers in Trivial Pursuit on colder winter days. Her retirement years were spent on Lorne Street where she became a mainstay at Music in the Park at Riverside. She cherished her day trips to Paul Lake and Lac Le Jeune where she could go “camping” with her grandkids. She later moved to Sidney in 2022 where she enjoyed tours of Butchart Gardens and testing her plant knowledge, visiting jobs sites to make sure they were on track and zipping her power chair to the dock on Beacon Ave and bragging that she could get there faster than us. She was a best friend to many, loved her Lorne St gang, and attended to her sorority responsibilities with pride. Thank you, Mom, for your unrelenting support, and leading by example with your dogged determination, honesty, integrity, and resilience. You will be deeply missed.
A special thank you to the Health Care Aides and staff of Sidney All Care Residence. Your warm and caring support was greatly appreciated by mom, and she counts you all as her good friends. Our family is immensely grateful.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Ella Mae’s name to MS Canada.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Kamloops come spring. Date and location to be announced in the coming weeks.