Aunt Gladys was one of those self-sacrificing war brides who gave up her home and family and moved to Canada (at first to Newfoundland) with her new husband shortly after the Armistice. But for her these sacrifices were only a first indication of her love and dedication to her husband. For many years until her death she was the guardian angel of Uncle Reg through many health problems. It came as a shock to all of us that she herself would succumb as she had never given any indication of her own frailty even at the age of 80.
The words of Uncle Reg and her son Kirk at her funeral give some indication of the kind of person we have lost.
The War Years
Gladys Joyce Kortan ca 1945
Uncle Reg’s remembrances:
“I first met Gladys at Cable and Wireless on the Thames Embankment early in 1945. She worked as a tele-stenographer on messages dispatched from world-wide. She received and helped to decode them and reported same as required. She worked in the dungeons underground.
She was a beautiful young girl and extremely pleasant. After some months we married and had a wonderful 60 years.”
A Life full of Troubles and Hardship…and Love
“During those years we underwent toil, suffering, family loss, illness and privations, as so many others did.”
“Gladys, you stayed beside me and I realised that many years ago. I pray that your pay back time has arrived at last.
God will bless you for your grace, love and respect.
Sad and lonely,
Reg.”
A Son’s Reflections on his Mother
Reg & Kirk Morry, Ottawa, 1959
“The following are just words that fall far short in describing what my mother was and always will be to me:
Mother – Always and Forever
Loving – Timeless and Unconditional
Patient – Endless
Mender of Childhood Hurts – Mercurochrome, Band-Aids, Hugs
Life Guide – Wisdom, Compassion, Choices
Kirk, 2007
Mom, I thank you for my beliefs and who I am, which were derived from our many talks over breakfast before school, remember?
You did a great job making sure that I grew up with strong family values and that I did not wander too far down a harmful path.
Thinking of you always until we are together again,
your loving son,
Kirk
