Obituary of Patricia Anne JESSOP

9 August 1934- Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England

24 December 2019 – Calgary, Alberta

Patricia Jessop, beloved wife of Alan Jessop of Calgary, passed away on Tuesday, 24 December 2019, at the age of 85 years.

Pat was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, on 9 August 1934. She received her Secretarial Certificate from the London College of Secretaries after which she worked in BBC Programmes. She had an adventurous spirit. In 1958, she was stranded in Feldkirch, Austria, by a broken-down motorcycle during a trip with her fiancé, Alan. She fearlessly hitchhiked her way back to England to meet a work deadline while Alan stayed behind to get the bike fixed. She married Alan in 1959 and moved to Canada a year later. Even though this originally was for Alan’s temporary one-year post-doc, a career opening led to their calling Canada home for the rest of their lives. During her time in Ottawa and (from 1987) in Calgary, Pat was a member of the Unitarian Church and volunteered extensively. In addition to numerous committees, she loved creating and delivering Sunday services, something at which she excelled. She also taught ESL to adult immigrants through the YWCA as a volunteer for twenty years.

Her lifelong passion was genealogy. A fond memory of her children was the many hours spent in English churchyards watching Mum (and Dad) searching for family-relevant grave markers, taking pictures and writing down information gleaned from the old, moss-covered tombstones.

For over 25 years, she relished her French Conversation group and the friendships she forged. She also enjoyed travelling. Her most memorable vacation was when she was sixty-three and she visited the Greek islands. She had often talked of her desire to visit Mycenae and Knossos.

Pat was a loving and kind mother and grandmother who always led by example. She always had a genuine and caring smile for any friends, children’s friends and partners or anyone else who spent time with her. She will be remembered most for her gentle wisdom and affection.

Besides her loving husband Alan, Pat is survived by two sons and a daughter: Christopher (and partner Susanna) of Calgary; Philip (and wife Lorena) of Kingston, Ontario; and daughter Jennifer of Calgary. She is also survived by two grandsons, David and Michael (and partner Nancy) of Kingston. Pat was predeceased by her two sisters, Sheila (and husband John) and Rosalind (survived by husband Geoffrey); and her parents, Cecil and Winnifred Mountain, all of England.

Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary), on Thursday, 2 January 2020 at 2 p.m.  Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations to Child Haven International (www.childhaven.ca) or the Alzheimer’s Society of Calgary (www.alzheimercalgary.ca) would be much welcomed. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Pat’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com. A special thank you to the Unitarian Church of Calgary.

A tree will be planted in living memory of Patricia Jessop. McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB, T2E 2V6.  Telephone: 403-243-8200.