Helen NADINE Jones

Helen NADINE Jones January 25, 1923 to December 18, 2017 The indomitable spirit that was Helen NADINE JONES is no more. She drew her last breath at 4 p.m. Monday, December 18, 2017 after packing as much as she could into her long and vibrant life.

The first daughter of Helen and Bert Jones, Nadine's early childhood was spent in Victoria, B.C. where her lifelong love of animals was forged through her friendship with the elderly Madame Annette Vivenot who ran a self-styled shelter for lost and injured creatures. Nadine spent her twenties and thirties in Vancouver where she began a nearly 60-year career as a writer and broadcaster. She wrote for a wide variety of publications, including The Glasgow Evening Citizen and The Manchester Guardian overseas and The Vancouver Sun, The Province, and Senior Living here at home, her last article appearing in The Richmond News November, 2017. Nadine had many opinion pieces on CBC Radio and also wrote two books: The History of Terrace in 1972 and Four Great "F" Words: Fur, Feathers, Fish & Fun in 2012 which chronicled her hobby farm adventures in Terrace, B.C. in the 1970s and early '80s. Nadine was also proud to have been a Marriage Commissioner for almost 30 years in Terrace and Richmond, B.C.

If asked, she would likely list the most important milestones in her life as these: having an essay on race relations published in a U.K. school textbook (Mastery of English: Fourth Stage) - an edition which also included stories by John Steinbeck, Rachel Carson, and Somerset Maugham; her pivotal friendship with Canadian writer Margaret Laurence (who dedicated her book The Tomorrow-Tamer to Nadine and then-husband Kwadwo Asante); organizing a fund-raising gala for the Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal in 1970, where she coaxed the legendary jazz great Duke Ellington to lead the Salvation Army Band on the steps of the Vancouver Courthouse;being adopted into the Frog clan of the Tsimshian First Nation, and graced with the name Al-u-ghef-sa-ya ('one who walks in open spaces without fear'); raising multitudes of animals on the family hobby farm; and continuing to support herself by following her passion for writing over the years.

Despite almost 95 years of amazing achievements, Nadine was most proud of her role as a mother to her four daughters, Lynnette Katherine Jako (now Lynne Commodore); Helen Anne Christine Guild (now Christine Warren); Jacqueline Amma and Leanne Abena (Jackie and Leanne) Asante who will deeply miss her razor-sharp wit and her daily expressions of love. In addition to her four daughters, she is survived by six grand and five great grand-kids as well as her younger sister - recognized B.C. pastel artist Jackie (Jay) Hooper (aka 'Hugo').

Per her wishes, there will be no memorial service or celebration scheduled. If you would like to do something to commemorate Nadine's amazing life, we ask that you donate in her memory to one of her many favourite charities. These would include the BC SPCA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), MSF ('Doctors Without Borders') or the Green Party of Canada.