Elsie Florence Higham
Dragon boat enthusiast, swimmer, dancer. Born on June 6, 1927, in Tamworth, Ont.; died on Dec. 21, 2014, in Westbrook, Ont., of breast cancer, aged 87.
Elsie would have loved to attend her own funeral. Family, friends and neighbours were there, along with the breast cancer survivors from her dragon boat team, friends from her dance groups (tap, square and Hawaiian), and those from yoga and art class. There were campers from Singleton Lake, who would swim across the lake with her, which she did until age 85. There were war veterans, a tribute to her late husband. Church friends turned out, as did former work colleagues. She would have loved that there was laughter and tears and that, even in death, she raised money for breast cancer research. She loved being the centre of attention.
Raised on the family farm in Tamworth, Ont., Elsie was the daughter of Ruby and John Johnston and sister of Dwayne, Eva and Harold. As a girl she enjoyed horseback riding and watching sunsets on nearby Beaver Lake. She learned the value of a dollar from her parents, who lived debt-free all their lives. "Always save a dollar a day," she would preach.
In 1943, shortly after her 16th birthday, the big city called and Elsie and her best friend hitchhiked to Toronto, where she got her first job in a Kodak factory. She also fell in love with a handsome young soldier, Sydney Higham, whom she met through friends. They spent their first dates dancing, making the most of their time before he left for the war in Europe. In 1946, shortly after his return home and military discharge, they married. Daughters Pat and Terry inherited their parents' warm sense of humour, their love of and talent for music, and their ability to save.
Elsie always had an opinion to share. She could not walk past a homeless youth without an inquisition: "Does your mother know where you are?" If the young people survived her barrage of questions, and her lecture on smoking, they were often rewarded with a $20 bill and a warm hug. Sometimes Elsie would jot down their mother's phone number, and then call and let her know that she had seen and hugged their son or daughter.
When she was in her 30s, Elsie was diagnosed with cancer. She faced the battle and didn't give up for more than 50 years. Her weapons were her passion for life and her endless energy. She became a competitive swimmer, a tap dancer and learned to drive a motorcycle. She joined a dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors, the Chestmates from Kingston, Ont., and took part in races in Vancouver, New York and New Zealand. She taught many of her six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren to swim, water ski and roller skate. She enjoyed doing stained-glass work and preparing floral arrangements and became a self-proclaimed expert in naturopathy. When her husband tired of square dancing in his late 70s, she joined a group of Hawaiian dancers.
In 2011, Syd died from complications due to a car accident caused by a drunk driver. The loss of her husband, and the injuries she sustained in the accident, meant Elsie's life would never be the same. But she continued to inspire everyone she knew, not only to push their limits and fight their battles, but also to keep dancing, moving, laughing and living.
Julie Cafley is Elsie's granddaughter.