Pamela Margaret Spurway

Pamela Margaret Spurway passed away peacefully in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 after a brief illness at age 74.

Born and raised in Fredericton, NB, Pam was the first of four children of Bob and Joan Spurway. Pam will be remembered by those who knew her for her devotion to family and friends.

Pam was a devoted mother to her three children; Geoff Cousens, Katie Temple (Peter) and Sarah Holland (Craig Seabrook) and loving Grammy to Dylan, Matthew, Rhys,

Justin, Erin, Halayna, Ben, Allie, Cole and Drew. As much as she loved her family, they loved her back. It is said that the hardest thing to give away is kindness because it always gets returned. Pam gave so much. She always had time for whatever was needed and shared her time, energy and talents unselfishly.

Like her father, Pam was an avid gardener. She loved planting things and watching them grow and flourish. Her bountiful gardens reflected her loving attention to them and were the envy of many. She had the only green thumb in the family, to which brothers Peter (Nancy), John (Margot) and sister Anne (Abou) would agree. To her, being in the garden was not labour, it was a joy that she embraced.

Like her mother, Pam enjoyed a lifetime in her church’s choir, from St. Anne’s Parish Church and Christ Church Parish Church in Fredericton to St. James Anglican Church in Ottawa. Pam and her mother Joan sang together for many years in Fredericton. When she moved to Ottawa, she joined the St. James’ choir

and quickly made new friends with whom she shared so many enjoyable hours of practice preparing for church services and concerts.

Pam also loved being on the water. She circumnavigated the world on a cruise with her grandparents when she was just 16. She took sailing lessons and taught at the Shediac Bay Yacht Club Sailing School in her early teens and crewed for her brother Peter when they won the coveted Teazer Trophy in Mahone Bay, NS. She had been on several cruises and had just returned from a Caribbean cruise when she fell ill in late March.

In her lifetime, Pam had many close friends with whom she spent countless hours walking, talking, playing board games or assembling puzzles. On her visits to Fredericton, she would make sure she got to see as many dear friends as possible. It was important to her and appreciated by those friends.

She was an avid needlepoint enthusiast. The walls of many homes are enriched by her labours of love and meticulous attention to detail. No doubt, these are considered treasures by those lucky enough to have them. And in her typical unassuming way, she shunned the attention she deserved for the artistry, skill and love she poured into them.

That was Pam. She asked little of life and gave so much back. She gave love and got love. She will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation at St. James Anglican Church, 1138 Bridge St. in Manotick on Wednesday, June 28th from 9 a.m. until a time of Celebration at 11 a.m. A reception will follow.

Those wishing may make memorial donations to St. James Anglican Church or Hyfield Place, 5581 Doctor Leach Drive, Manotick, K4M 1J6