Mildred DESTRY

Mildred DESTRY obituary

Mildred DESTRY

Mildred DESTRY Obituary

Published by Monteal Gazette on Aug. 17, 2013.
DESTRY, Mildred Isabel Evalane Smith
It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my wife, Mildred Isabel Evalane Smith Destry, on the last day of July, 2013.
Mildred was born in Boston on 12 August, 1923, the only child of William Alexander Smith and Susan Isabel Prouty. When she was four, the family moved to Portland, Maine, where she spent her childhood and early 'teens, graduating, with high honors, from Deering High school in that city.
On admission to King's County Hospital School of Nursing, she moved to New York and obtained her R.N. diploma from that institution in 1945, first in her class. Further study there earned her a diploma as a nurse anesthetist, in which capacity she practiced her art both at King's County Hospital and at Mount Sinai Hospital. Near the end of WW II, Mildred was a cadet in the United States Army, where she worked as a nurse anesthetist, and was offered a career in the military but decided against it.
The year 1953-4 was spent in Paris and Mildred, with only an elementary knowledge of French, attended l'Université de Paris (La Sorbonne) earning a "Diplôme de Civilisation Française, Degré Supérieur" with a "Mention très bien".
On her return to the United States, she went to Chicago and worked there as a nurse anesthetist at Swedish Covenant Hospital, all the while following the program of French studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, obtaining a B.A. in 1956. Her scholastic achievements there earned her a Phi Beta Kappa key.
Mildred and Jacques were married in 1955, and, in 1958, together with her infant first son and husband, she moved from Evanston to Corona, California, staying there for a brief period of time before moving to Washington, D.C. in 1959. Her second son was born there the following year.
In 1962, the young family moved to State College, Pennsylvania and Mildred attended Pennsylvania State University, which conferred on her, in 1966, the degree of Master of Arts in recognition of the completion of advanced studies in French. For another brief period (1966-67), she lived, together with her husband and two young sons, in Stillwater, Oklahoma and taught a course in French Studies at Oklahoma State University.
In 1967, the family moved to Montreal, where, for several years, she was in charge of the Secondaire Cinq English program at Collège Brébeuf and also taught English at Université de Montréal and Sir George Williams University (in the "Teaching English as a Second Language" program).
In 1990, Mildred and Jacques moved to Addison and then settled in Kingston in 1996. Here, she made many friends, and, together with Patricia Soberman, established a popular French conversation group. As well, she was a member of the Monday Painters. She continued painting during her many extended winter stays in Saint Petersburg, Florida, where she also established a French conversation group, and, after taking a course in the History of Art at the Saint Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, became, arguably, one of the museum's most popular docents.
The death of my wife, so devoted to her family, so modest, selfless and kind, leaves a big void in my life and in the lives of our two sons Judge Matthew Isaac (Matt) of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and William Alexander (Alec) of Landers, California, but we take comfort in knowing she lived a full and productive life.
The staff at Providence Manor has been exemplary in its compassionate and professional care of Mildred during her last three years of life and, especially, during her final illness. I also wish to thank Drs. Hoffe, Liedermann and Chan of Kingston General Hospital, who did their very best to help her recover from the ravages of pneumonia.
A mass for her eternal repose will be held at Saint George's Cathedral on Tuesday, August 27th next, at 2 p.m., in the Lady Chapel. No flowers please.
Arrangements entrusted to Gordon F. Tompkins Funeral Home-Central Chapel.613- 546-5454

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August 21, 2013

Susan Dempsey posted to the memorial.

August 20, 2013

Robert Cochrane posted to the memorial.

August 19, 2013

Peggy J. Gaddis posted to the memorial.

8 Entries

Susan Dempsey

August 21, 2013

What a beautiful tribute to your wife...She must have been very special...
Mes sincères condoléances à vous et à toute votre famille.

Robert Cochrane

August 20, 2013

Jacques, Rosemary and I send our condolences to you and the family along with our prayers for Mildred and for you. Bob

Peggy J. Gaddis

August 19, 2013

As an alumna of Northwestern University I would like to express to the family of Mildred Destry, my sincere condolences for the passing of your loved one, and may God the hearer of prayer as spoken of at Psalm 65:2, help you to endure this difficult time and grant you peace.

Richard Leonelli

August 19, 2013

Cher M. Destry,

Veuillez accepter mes condoléances et celles de mes collègues du Département de physique de l'Université de Montréal pour votre perte.

Richard Leonelli
Directeur, Département de physique

Belva Gravenor

August 19, 2013

What a accomplished woman Mildred was. I send my very
sincere condolences. I was the one that adopted Liza (Airedale) many years ago...God Bless you and your family.
Belva Gravenor

Gloria Piccioni

August 18, 2013

I don't know you or your family but your tribute to your wife brought tears to my eyes. What an incredible woman. You were blessed to have her in your life. My sincerest condolences to you and your family.
Gloria Piccioni.

anon

August 17, 2013

Profound tribute to your wife-I wish I would have the opportunity to have met her!She leaves a large void for both you,her family, and society.Poignant Tribute to an exemplary WOMAN.

Diane

August 17, 2013

Dear Mr. Destry,
Judging by the beautiful tribute to your wife, you obviously loved and respected her very much and had a good life together. My heart goes out to you for your loss.

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GORDON F TOMPKINS FUNERAL HOME - Central Chapel

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Sign Mildred DESTRY's Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

August 21, 2013

Susan Dempsey posted to the memorial.

August 20, 2013

Robert Cochrane posted to the memorial.

August 19, 2013

Peggy J. Gaddis posted to the memorial.