July 10th, 1938 - June 5th, 2023
Elizabeth Anne was born on July 10,1938, the second child and only daughter of Jim and Mary Rimmer of Formby, a coastal, small town in West Lancashire, England.
Upon completing College, Anne began her career in large scale industrial catering, which continued after she married David, her teenage sweetheart in 1961.
She obtained the position of Catering Manager at English Electric in Hazel Grove, which was not far from her new home in Romiley, Cheshire. That involved providing cafeteria meals for hundreds of workers plus dining rooms for middle managers and haute cuisine for the executives.
In 1963, her daughter Denise was born and Anne became a stay at home Mum for a couple of years. In 1965, they emigrated to Canada, initially living in Willowdale, North of Toronto.
In 1967, David accepted a position in Hamilton and they later bought a house in Ancaster and Anne secured the position of Director, Nutritional Services at the very new McMaster University Medical Centre. Besides feeding patients, she also ran a bustling cafeteria for Staff, university students and visitors. A merger with Chedoke Hospital found Anne running dietary services for both. Chedoke still cooked all food on site and Anne assembled a great team of Managers & Dietitians. Anne's vision was to provide patients with their choice of meal at a time when the patient felt ready to eat it, not when was convenient for the Hospital. She was cited in a business text book as an "Intrapreneur for developing a system called 'A La Cart', which in simple terms looked similar to airline galley systems. The food was cooked and then plated and transported to the wards in the Cart where it held hot food hot and cold food cold, until needed.
Anne and David retired in 1997 and moved to their new house in Pine Meadows, a retirement community by Belwood Lake, where they also bought a cottage. Anne was active in the social life of the community but also volunteered at the local hospital in Fergus. Ultimately, she was appointed Chair of the Board and on her watch, presided over the appointment of three CEO's and the purchase of land on which the new Groves Memorial Hospital now stands.
Some years ago, Anne was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease which progressed to the stage that she required Long Term Care. The disease ravaged her but could not quell her warm smile and sense of humour until she died on June 5th, 2023.
She is survived by David, Denise, Andrew, grandsons Matthew and Cole and her brothers Bill, Peter and David in
England and many nieces and nephews also in England.
David and Denise can never sufficiently thank ALL the Staff at Bay Haven Care Community in Collingwood, for their wonderful, gentle loving care of Anne which extended to them as well.
A Funeral Mass and Rite of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph's Church, 760 St. David Street North, Fergus at 11 a.m.on Thursday, June 8 followed by interment at St. Mary and St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Elora.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Parkinson's Canada.
Arrangements entrusted to Graham A Giddy Funeral Home
