Obituary of Nancye Blyth

WOODFORD BLYTH, Nancye 1924-2015 Our mother, Nancye Woodford Blyth, passed away peacefully in Calgary, surrounded by children and grandchildren, at the age of 91. Mom was born January 30, 1924 to Harvey and Virgie Stimpson in Forsyth County, North Carolina. Her home was a loving one with her parents teaching her the values that shaped her life. She attended school in Clemmons, North Carolina, where the love of learning her parents had already instilled was fostered. One of her most cherished memories was of her father bringing home new books for her to read despite the depth of the depression. In 1940, she met our dad, Vernon Rich Woodford. They married February 13, 1943 in Charleston, South Carolina. Their first home was in Miami where they lived while Dad awaited orders to serve in WWII. When Dad was shipped overseas, she moved back home with her parents. She always appreciated their love and support during that difficult time. After the war ended, Mom and Dad moved to Montreal where Dad pursued graduate studies in Biochemistry at McGill University. Although they were poor, Mom always recalled it as a very happy time during which they welcomed their first two children. In 1950, Mom and Dad moved to Saskatoon where Dad had accepted a position at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Biochemistry. Over the next several years, they welcomed four more children. Along with Dad, her children were the centre of her life. She instilled in each of us a love of learning, the joy of reading, and an appreciation for the beauty of music. She also showed her love in very practical ways. She was a talented seamstress and made many of our clothes. And we all loved coming home from school to the smell of freshly baked bread. Mom and Dad shared 36 years of happiness together before he passed away in 1979. Mom impressed her children with her strength in the light of this great loss; she learned to drive at the age of 55, began working outside the home, at St. Philips as a parish worker and later at the Catholic Centre, and devoted herself to ensuring that life was as normal as possible for her two youngest daughters who were still at home. In 1988, she met and married David Blyth with whom she shared 12 happy years. He introduced her to a new side of Saskatchewan by showing her the land around Dafoe where he farmed. Although very proud of her American heritage, she loved Saskatchewan. In later years, she took great joy in the arrival of each of her ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She is survived by her children Jessica (James Tamblyn), Richard, Deborah Emes, Angela (Jon Reeves) and Roxanna (Andrew Selwood); grandchildren Mary-Lynn (Steven), Charles (Michelle), Daniel (Candace) Sarah, Robert, Matthew (Julianna), James, Kate, David and Mark; as well as her great-grandchildren Samuel and Thomas, William, Grace, and Emily, Colton and Alexander, and Noah. She is also lovingly remembered by her sister-in-law Miriam Stimpson and her several nieces and nephews in the United States. Mom was predeceased by our dad Vernon Woodford; her second husband David Blyth; and her daughter Stephanie. She was also predeceased by her parents; older brother Oswald; sister Doris; younger brothers Harvey and Sanford; and son-in-law Bryan Emes.