Obituary of Audrey Harrison

February 6, 1929 - Cranham, Gloucestershire, England

November 10, 2021 - Calgary, Alberta

Audrey Virginia Gastrell, daughter of Mary Alice Gastrell, was born February 6, 1929, in the beautiful Cotswold village of Cranham, Gloucestershire, England, where she spent her childhood with her cousins Patsy and Betty. Mary Alice was killed in a motorcycle accident when Virginia was only seven. She was then raised along with her cousins by their aunt Noni Gastrell (Granna Noni) in their grandfather, William Gastrell’s home Fairview House (William was the Woodsman for the adjacent large expanse of Cranham woods). All three cousins attended Cranham Church of England School until age thirteen. Virginia loved horses learning to ride at age ten when working as a stable hand at the Drake Riding School in Cranham. Later she taught others how to ride at the Drake School including children of local gentry and, prior to D Day, American servicemen stationed nearby.  In summer of the early years of the second world war Virginia assisted at the William Powell Boy Scouts Headquarters in Cranham again providing riding instruction to young boy scouts.

At thirteen, Virginia was recognized as having a natural artistic talent, so much so that she was awarded a free place at Stroud Art College. It was then that she met Anthony (Tony) William Harrison from the nearby village of Miserden. Tony, likewise, at age thirteen was given a free place at Stroud Technical College. At the time both Art and Technical Colleges occupied the same ornate old Victorian building on Lansdown Crescent. Tony moved from Miserden to Cheltenham at age fifteen, and for the next three years they rode on the same bus together on school days (Cheltenham to Stroud via Cranham). On weekends and during college vacations, along with friends, they walked the countryside, went to the cinema, local dances, had picnics, played tennis, etc., all within a platonic teenage friendship which much later blossomed into a lifelong union. Before leaving Cheltenham, England, to go to Canada to visit Tony in 1956 for what became a long “visit,” Virginia worked drafting aircraft instrumentation, was a member of the Young Conservatives and participated in amateur theatrics and worked on displays for fairs. She was known for her original clothing designs which she fabricated on consignment (for extra pocket money!).

Virginia married Tony on August 31, 1956, in Saskatoon. She supported them both by working as a Draughtswoman and Saleslady (at Fashion Furs), while Tony completed his PhD at the University of Saskatchewan. They later moved to Quebec City, where Virginia was a valued Sales lady for Holt Renfrew at the Chateaux Frontenac and, on account of her English accent, was an asset in attracting visitors from USA to a predominately French speaking community. They returned to England in 1959 to live in Cheltenham (where Roman Harrison was born) and then in Brighton until 1966. It was in Brighton that Virginia began to design and fabricate lady’s outerwear for the “well to do,” and was sometimes recognized in the local press for her originality.

Virginia and Tony returned to Canada in 1966 to Calgary and later adopted Fabian and Francesca. Virginia became the company’s best part-time shoe sales lady in Canada while working for Bally Shoes in Calgary. Virginia boarded horses in the countryside near Calgary and lived in the city in her later years.  She loved her horse Daniel, her cats Galipeault and Gypsy, and her dogs Jessie, Skipper and Josh. Virginia’s creativity included amateur theatrics in England, directing plays by the Cub Scouts in Calgary, oil painting, designing and hand sewing clothing on consignment in Calgary, sewing drapes and furniture slip covers, designing and sewing her Beautiful Bears by Gastrell, which won awards at teddy bear shows and at the Calgary Stampede, creating beautiful Christmas decorations and working hard to prepare delicious meals.  Her work was always marked by originality, imagination, style, completeness and excellent craftmanship.  Virginia supported Tony always.  Sadly, after 65 years of marriage to Tony, Virginia died on November 10, 2021, in Calgary, AB.  We will miss Virginia’s laugh, her sense of humor, her kindness, seeing her read the newspaper in the sunshine by the window and her presence.   Goodbye, we will always love you, Virginia.

Besides her loving husband, Virginia is survived by her one daughter and son-in-law, Francesca and Tim Edwards, of Calgary, AB; her two sons and daughters-in-law, Roman and Jane Cassidy Harrison of Calgary, AB, and Fabian Harrison and Gabriele Waidelich-Harrison of Saskatoon, SK; and five grandchildren, Quinn Lucero, Benjamin Harrison, Clinton Anderson, Samuel Anderson, and Harrison Christie. Virginia is also survived by her sister Angela Tolcher of England, her cousin Patsy Taylor of England, and her cousin Betty Stubbins of Australia.

Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Virginia Harrison, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.