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Laurenda Daniells Obituary

Published by Vancouver Sun and/or The Province on Jan. 14, 2017.

Laurenda Daniells 1923-2017 Laurenda Daniells died peacefully with her daughters by her side on January 4, 2017. She was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Mary Fancis, her husband Roy and granddaughter Jane. She is remembered by brothers Ross (Ardath), Don (Patricia), daughters Susan (Glen), Sara (Walter), grandchildren Rachel, Gillian, Annie, Adam and her many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbours.

Born in Winnipeg, Laurenda attended the University of Manitoba for her B.A. and Dip S.W. where she met Roy Daniells, her English Professor. They married, and in 1948 the couple moved to Vancouver to begin a life of travel, literature, family and numerous friendships. Roy, a poet and then head of the University of British Columbia English Department always saw Laurenda as his muse.

While raising two daughters, Laurenda obtained a Certificate of d'Etudes from Universite de Poitiers, a B.L.S and M.L.S from UBC and a certificate of Archival Administration from Carleton. She became the first head archivist at the UBC Library. She was a published author, most recently of a memoir "Royal Blood" that celebrated her Manitoba roots.

Laurenda lived her life with grace and vitality. She had a zest for travel and new experiences, yet faced loss or obstacles with great fortitude and compassion for others. At the age of 76, she infamously terrified her family by sailing from Ireland to Turkey, where she strapped herself to the mast of the boat while steering through a fierce storm - it was only when she allowed her family to read her diary that it was discovered that she herself didn't think she would survive that particular adventure.

Laurenda led a very social life at Allison road with countless friends and family visiting and living with her. Many dogs were her companions, and there were a multitude of birds, squirrels and raccoons she "did not" feed. She belonged to groups that included her writing circle, exercise class, Allison road ladies group, book club, University Women's club and an Ashland travel group. A vibrant member of University Hill Church, she volunteered there every Friday and baked the official birthday cake each month.

She had an enviable gift for friendship and spent her last day walking with her dear friend Jennifer, cruising the web for news and updates, drinking a Heineken in her kitchen and planning the next party at Allison road.

Laurenda supported the Jane Guay Daniells Orris and Roy Daniells memorial scholarships at the University of British Columbia.

A memorial will be held at the University Hill Congregation, 6050 Chancellor Blvd. Sunday January 22, 2017 at 1:00 pm. The service will be preceded by lunch at noon and followed by a reception. Parking is available at the UBC Rose Garden parkade.

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Recent Activity

January 21, 2017

Someone posted to the memorial.

January 17, 2017

Alison (Kit) Szanto posted to the memorial.

January 17, 2017

Elsie Wollaston posted to the memorial.

6 Entries

January 21, 2017

Ou sont les beiges d'antan
Dear Susan and Sarah
I first met your mother on a snowy day in January 1964 when Dick and I were invited to your house after meeting your father as he was walking the dog on Allison Road.He had to throw her into a snowbank to avoid an oncoming plough, which we knew was not to be mentioned. However, she had other ideas and put her head in your mother's lap to complainprecipitating the first of many examples I remember of your mother's ability to read peopleand dogsas she looked up and said "Roy, .what did you do to her?" Over the years she became for me became a model of how a woman could be daughter, wife, mother and also find fulfilment in her work. Chasing Shalimar with you was a bonus point!
You will have, I know, many examples of your father's occasional poetry that reveal the deep love that joins you all.
With our love,
Jane Cowan and Luke Fredeman.
PS. As a mediaevalist, I would have liked to begin with Hwo Cwom maerg (What has become of the horse)your mother would probably have known that too.

Alison (Kit) Szanto

January 17, 2017

Laurenda and Roy were friends of my parents, and I am sorry to hear this news. I send, on behalf of all my family, our regrets and condolences to the family. After my parents died, Harry Hawthorn suggested the family set up the Andrew Fellowship, and we did. In 2007, we discovered through the people who managed the Fellowship that Laurenda had been contributing to the Fellowship since 2000. It was very generous of her and I wrote to thank her, on behalf of all my siblings, but I never heard back from her and did not know if she received our thanks. She was a generous woman, kind and thoughtful and I regret I had not seen her since we left Vancouver.

Elsie Wollaston

January 17, 2017

I first met Laurenda 49 years ago, and she will continue in my mind exactly as always: witty, wise, well-read, and a mentor like no other. So often, it was Laurenda who knew the story behind the story. Truly regret I can't attend her Jan. 22 memorial.

January 16, 2017

Laurenda:
I remember you with great memories and I remember Roy Daniells as well as one of my professors in Literature.
I am sad to read that you have passed away, but I am sure that all of your friends, will remember you forever.
Paul E. Thiele

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Phyllis Reeve

January 16, 2017

Laurenda and Roy figure in some of my warmest memories of my student and professional years at UBC. Sincere condolences to the family.

Gary Mitchell

January 14, 2017

My condolences to Laurenda's family; she was a grand lady and an excellent role model for the generations of archivists and librarians who followed her through UBC Library; I will always remember her encouragement for a young wannbe archivist and her graciousness in sharing her time and knowledge.

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