Louise Cecil

Louise Cecil

In her home overlooking Coal Harbor in Vancouver, BC, and with her son holding her hand, our beloved mother, Louise M. Cecil, passed away peacefully at the age of forever 39 on August 8, 2017. Her final days were spent admiring the view of the mountains and the harbor entrance from her apartment while accepting visits from so many people she loved. She was deeply grateful for the opportunity to say goodbye to her family and dear friends.

She was predeceased by her loving husband of over 35 years, Robert "Bob" Cecil, and her parents, Alice and Paul Millholland. We are comforted by the thought that they are together again with loved ones in Heaven.

Louise was born and raised in Dobbs Ferry, NY, where she graduated from The Masters School. During the summers, "Weesie," as she was known by friends and family, would spend time riding horses on a family farm. She attended Skidmore College to pursue a degree in dance, and she holds a degree in photography from Columbia College in Chicago, IL. She became an accomplished professional photographer while also teaching portraiture, exhibiting, and publishing a book of her nature photography. Her pictures, now numbering in the tens of thousands, have been a source of record for all family and social occasions.

Louise met her husband, Bob, while walking on a sidewalk in Cambridge, MA, where he was attending the Harvard Business School and she was working. During their 35 years of marriage, they moved frequently, living in Northern and Southern California, Washington D.C., Ohio, Maryland, Chicago, and Connecticut.

They were drawn by the beauty and wonderful people of the Pacific Northwest and ultimately settled in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Louise felt at home living between Vancouver and Whistler, BC, for the past 20 years. Her propensity for the arts led her to appreciate the First Nation artists and craftsmen, and she felt blessed to have developed an amazing and caring network of friends and associates.

Throughout her life, she was actively involved in her communities, supporting many causes that were of great interest to her. In previous locales, she worked closely with the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz, CA, and was a docent at the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. She was an active member of the Junior League in several cities. While in Vancouver, she was also on the boards of Hope House and Opera Breve. Most recently, her love for dance inspired her to work closely with the Vancouver Dance Centre as a board member and a founder of the Choreographer's Circle.

Despite her success, Louise never forgot her roots and generously supported The Masters School. Earlier this year, she was honored for her dedication to the school by being awarded the Richmond Bowl, which was presented by a recipient of the scholarship she created.

Louise was a private woman who was down to earth. She was also incredibly independent and adventurous. A devoted admirer of nature and animals, she traveled throughout the world, visiting all seven continents. She had a keen appreciation for all forms of the arts, especially dance, music, glass, and painting.

An active hiker, skier, and tennis player, Louise spent much of her time in Whistler, where her favorite seasons were spring, summer, winter, and fall. Her favorite picnic spot overlooked Lost Lake, and a memorable activity was canoeing down the River of Golden Dreams with her grandchildren. Sharing her love of nature and the outdoors with her friends and family was Louise's most enjoyable pastime.

She is survived by her two sons, Scott and Jim, their respective spouses, Patty and Erika, and five grandchildren: Robert, Reed, Audrey, Lily, and Jack. Louise will also be profoundly missed by her sisters Allaire Warner and Carol Strasburger, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was a kind and generous mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, and she will truly be missed.

We wish to thank all of her dear friends in Vancouver and all over the world for loving, caring, and supporting her during the past several months. Your messages and visits gave her the strength to carry on and persevere during her most difficult times. She considered you all to be part of the family. We would also like to thank the doctors and nurses, especially her personal doctor, who cared for her during her courageous battle. Louise was very appreciative of all the care that enabled her to live out her remaining days in her home with the dignity and style she desired.

We will forever cherish the memory of her kind and generous heart.

A celebration of Louise's life and a memorial service are planned for later this year in Vancouver, BC, and a private interment at her husband's final resting place will take place in the fall of 2018.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Vancouver Dance Centre in Louise's name would be appreciated. http://www.thedancecentre.ca/

Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2G6

604-606-6400