Boyce (Chaplin), Della Gwendolyn – Aged 92, of Bible Hill passed away peacefully, with her husband holding her hand, on December 17, 2022.
A daughter of the late Stanley and Gertrude Chaplin, Della was born in Otter Brook and raised in Middle Stewiacke.
Through lifetime friends, Art and Ruth Weatherby, she met her husband, Charlie, at the bowling alley. He always says that she picked him up out of the “gutter.” They married in the old St. Andrew’s church on a rainy Monday in 1949, with the sun coming out just in time to bless their ceremony.
Della was a wife to one, mother & grandmother to a few but a friend to many. She was an active member of St. David’s United Church, participating in the United Church Women and quilting groups. She also assisted with the Junior Choir when her children were young. Della enjoyed spending her time bowling, at which she excelled and won many prizes. She and Charlie were longtime members of the Bible Hill Square Dance Club. She also loved golfing, and playing cards with the ladies’ card club that was founded in 1958 and played until 2020 when the pandemic caused a cessation of play. She made an impact on all those she encountered.
She loved spending time at the cottage on Mattatall Lake, reading, boating and playing cards with family and great friends, John & Caren Bonnell. Her grandchildren remember fondly their time spent at the lake and will all recount stories of getting stuck in the pedal boat in the middle of the lake and their Grammy sweeping pathways in the woods.
Della was known for her caring nature, dry sense of humour and quick wit. There was always something baking in the house and she was known for her date squares, chocolate wafer cookies and biscuits. Her smile, luck playing cards and laughter will never be forgotten.
Della is survived and will be missed greatly by her husband of 73 years, Charles Boyce; sister, Mildred Cooke; children, Gwendolyn, David (Karen), and Kevin (Lesley); grandchildren, Riley (Faye), Murray (Ayla), Siobhan, Jenny (Joel), Sarah, Lynsey (Brandon), and Jaime (Ryan); great-grandchildren, Brixton, Emma, Charlie, Calum, Bohden, Kacey, Chloe, Katie & Ellie; in-laws, Flo (Vince) Weatherbee, Ralph (Audrey), Syd (Irene) and George (Linda) Boyce; in addition to many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her card club sisters, Beth MacKay, Carole MacDonald, Mabel McNutt, Lou MacKenzie, and Bev Bradley.
She was predeceased by her parents; siblings, Lewis (Olive), Homer (Anna) and Clinton (Marie) Chaplin and Elsie Takacs; in-laws, Doug (Eileen), Ron (Margaret), and Bill (Lillian) Boyce, Helen (Charles) MacNeil, Grace (Ronnie) Moore and Donald Cooke.
Special thanks to niece, Michelle Takacs; friend, Raymond Lindsay; neighbours, Scott, Jenn, Mike and Justine; the VON & Palliative care teams and Dr. Nina Makkar for the incredible support these past few months.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to VON or a charity of choice.
May she rest in peace.
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