Obituary for Barbara (Bonnie) Smiley
Barbara Smiley, or Bonnie as she was known to her family and friends, passed away peacefully at age 96 on February 13, 2022. She was born July 1, 1925 in the small village of Stanton-on-the- Wolds, Nottinghamshire, England, and enjoyed an idyllic childhood brought up in a very happy family. When the war came Bonnie was able to put her impressive accounting skills to good use working at the top-secret de-coding centre at Bletchley Park. It was there she met John Smiley (pre-deceased 2014), an RCAF pilot and the love of her life, at a dance on V-J Day. John’s attempts to find work as a pilot in England after the war proved unsuccessful and so Bonnie joined him in Canada. She was the only member of her family to emigrate.
Bonnie was a quiet feminist. While raising her girls she always worked, even when it was most unusual for a married woman on the Downsview Air Force base to do so. She spent many happy years working for the Ontario’s Provincial Library Service. Despite not being permitted to study beyond the age of 16, she rose to become editor of its In Review publication. This involved travel to various parts of Canada to interview children’s book authors.
For 36 years John and Bonnie lived in a beautiful cottage “Larchbrook” in the country outside of Acton where they created the most wonderful gardens nurtured by Bonnie’s green thumb.
Bonnie and John loved to entertain and were famous for their elegant dinners and annual Christmas Carol party which involved weeks of preparation, and plenty of champagne. Bonnie and John loved choral and classical music. They spent many volunteer hours selling tickets, ushering and fund raising for the Elora Festival and were long time active members at St. John’ s Anglican Church, Elora.
Bonnie will be greatly missed by her loving daughters Alison (Bob) and Jayne (Michael), two grandchildren Chris (Cindy) and Sarah (Ingvar), and five great grandchildren, Lennox, Jasper, Bonny, Ronja, and Thorey.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Elora Singers or to St. John’s Anglican Church, Elora would be welcome.
The service is on Friday, February 18 at 11 AM at St. John’s Anglican Church, Elora. It is live streamed on YouTube. Google YouTube St John’s/Elora livestream.
Bonnie was a quiet feminist. While raising her girls she always worked, even when it was most unusual for a married woman on the Downsview Air Force base to do so. She spent many happy years working for the Ontario’s Provincial Library Service. Despite not being permitted to study beyond the age of 16, she rose to become editor of its In Review publication. This involved travel to various parts of Canada to interview children’s book authors.
For 36 years John and Bonnie lived in a beautiful cottage “Larchbrook” in the country outside of Acton where they created the most wonderful gardens nurtured by Bonnie’s green thumb.
Bonnie and John loved to entertain and were famous for their elegant dinners and annual Christmas Carol party which involved weeks of preparation, and plenty of champagne. Bonnie and John loved choral and classical music. They spent many volunteer hours selling tickets, ushering and fund raising for the Elora Festival and were long time active members at St. John’ s Anglican Church, Elora.
Bonnie will be greatly missed by her loving daughters Alison (Bob) and Jayne (Michael), two grandchildren Chris (Cindy) and Sarah (Ingvar), and five great grandchildren, Lennox, Jasper, Bonny, Ronja, and Thorey.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Elora Singers or to St. John’s Anglican Church, Elora would be welcome.
The service is on Friday, February 18 at 11 AM at St. John’s Anglican Church, Elora. It is live streamed on YouTube. Google YouTube St John’s/Elora livestream.