Alixe Lillico, Lives Lived March 23/11
Mother, grandmother, volunteer probation officer, real-estate agent. Born April 18, 1924, in Toronto. Died Dec. 29, 2010, in Ottawa of lung cancer, aged 86.
Alixe Lillico was the second of four children of Lucille and William Phillips. She lost her brother Michael in an air training accident during the war and this always wore heavily on her heart. In 1943, she joined the Royal Canadian Air Force Women's Division and was stationed in Dartmouth, N.S.
Alixe worked with Air Command Operations in the war mapping room. One day while walking home from work, she noticed a man emptying boxes from a truck so she offered to help. He was setting up a release centre for returning airmen. Right away, he recognized Alixe's "can do" organizational skills and had her transferred to his project. She was responsible for establishing and running the room where the airmen were provided with post-release planning and benefit options. Alixe was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of "displaying above-average abilities towards the duties."
After the war, Alixe returned to Toronto where she was introduced to her future husband, Tom Lillico. While having lunch one day, Alixe showed her friend Janet her engagement ring. Janet tried it on, could not get it off and had to return to work wearing the ring while Alixe frantically called Birks. Later that day, with the help of soap, Alixe recovered her ring.
Tom and Alixe married in 1948. Tom joined the Ontario Ministry of Industry and Trade, which resulted in them raising their three daughters, Debbie, Brenda and Wendy, while living in Toronto, London, Ont., and, finally, Ottawa.
Alixe found an outlet for her interest in people by volunteering with the newly established Toronto volunteer probation program. She monitored court proceedings and met with offenders to see if there was any way they could be diverted from the criminal justice system. On many occasions, Alixe was able to convince offenders they would be better off being matched up with a volunteer mentor. A plan would be prepared and presented to a judge. If Alixe believed in it, so did the judge.
When Alixe moved to Ottawa she was asked to set up its first court worker program. Many of the volunteers became Alixe's life-long friends. In 1978, Alixe was appointed to the Ontario Parole Board. Upon completion of her six-year term, she set out to find another occupation even though she was in her 60s. She went back to school and became a real-estate agent, again making new friendships.
Alixe always felt that she was a privileged person and that she had a duty to give back. She was committed to her family and her community. She died in her home under the care of wonderful palliative-care workers and maintained her dignity and humour until the end.
By Carol Faulkner, volunteer probation officer and Alixe's friend.