Elva TELFER

1927 - 2024

Elva Telfer (Trotter) on Monday, August 26, 2024, in her 97th year, at home in Oakville, surrounded by loved ones. She was predeceased by her devoted husband of 64 years, Alan Cassels Telfer, her brothers William (Rose) Trotter and John (Mildred) Trotter, and her sister Nadine (Charlie) Lough. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, Sarah (Jody Mangiardi), her sons Peter (Susan) and Philip, and her grandchildren Oliver (Amira Maddison), Henry, Grace, Emma, and Amy. Elva was born to Stanley Egerton Trotter and Mamie (Moran) in Kingston, Ontario, in 1927. She grew up in Ottawa, and was cared for by her maternal grandmother, Isabelle Moran (Hall), and her Uncle, Patrick Joseph Moran, after her mother died when she was thirty days old and her father died when she was four. Elva attended Glebe Collegiate Institute and worked as a Cypher Clerk at the British High Commission, in Ottawa and as a Librarian at Shell Oil in Toronto. Later in life, she worked as an Executive Administrative Assistant at the Bank of Montreal, First Canadian Place, where she flourished and was adored by many. Elva was best known for her advocacy work for those with developmental disabilities and was instrumental in forging the path to the current model of care in home-like settings and independent living. She served on the Board of Governors of Oaklands Regional Centre in Oakville, one of the first smaller facilities created as large institutions were shut down. In her last year, she continued to see her son Philip, who has Fragile X, every week and talked to him several times a day. Elva loved to read, stay informed about current politics, and spend time with her children and grandchildren. She was always glamorous, loved fashion and design, and had an eye for style and elegance. She will be remembered for her many stories, generosity, and her ability to charm others with her wit and kindness. Always supportive and adoring, she loved her family unconditionally. A special thanks to the loving and attentive caregivers who became a part of our family in recent years. "An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding; and it is not to be found in foreign lands, but in the heart itself." ~Robert Louis Stevenson~ A Celebration of Life will take place at the Oakville Club, 56 Water Street, Oakville, on Monday, September 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Community Living Oakville. Online condolences may be offered at oakviewfuneral.ca.