Obituary of Bridget Given

GIVEN, Bridget “Mickey”

September 13, 1932 – January 24, 2022

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Bridget “Mickey” Given of Calgary, Alberta at the age of 89. She passed away peacefully in her sleep after a long battle with cancer. 

Bridget, the third of Patrick & Rose Given’s four children was born in Ottawa where she was raised and received her education. At a very young age Bridget’s father gave her the nickname of “Mickey” and it stuck throughout her lifetime.

Two of Bridget’s siblings, brother Hugh Given and sister Patricia Thompson, predeceased her.   She is survived by her youngest sister Kathleen Ellis of Ottawa; son Stephen Berini  and spouse Sheila Kearns of Calgary; son David Berini and partner Marie Upton of Ashcroft, BC; grandson Zach Berini  and wife Christina of Calgary; and grandson Cody Joe McEwen of Red Deer.   Bridget also leaves behind many much-loved nieces and nephews including Roseann Heffner and husband Bernie of Whitehorse, Yukon who were very special to Bridget. 

Bridget joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1951 and served until 1956, achieving the rank of Flight Officer.  While in the air force she met and married Les Berini, who reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  They married and had two sons, Stephen, and David and spent time stationed in both Europe and various posts in Canada when the boys were young.   At the end of their military careers Bridget and Les moved west, driving across Canada to Cochrane, Alberta in 1972 with the boys, where they bought an acreage and built their own home from scratch.  It was the first house to be built on Cochrane Hill. Bridget and Les later divorced and he passed away in 2003.  

Bridget worked as the secretary at the Manachaban Middle School in Cochrane for a few years, and later, for many years at the University of Calgary in the Undergraduate Department.   She was an avid volunteer during her lifetime, organizing events and making people’s lives better and brighter.   Always a proud veteran, she was also a long-standing member of the Canadian Legion in both Cochrane and Calgary and was recognized for her service with an award from the Legion, in recent years.

Throughout her life Bridget was very, very proud of her Irish Heritage.  She loved the history, music and everything about it, and around her home you would find bits and pieces of her connection to Ireland like an Irish knit sweater, a pillow on the sofa with the wording “Erin go Brach”, a leprechaun, and an abundance of Irish CDs to keep her entertained.

Roughly in her 70’s Bridget was taught to play golf by her dear friend, Bessie Johnson, in Lethbridge.  She loved it!  It became her passion and whenever possible, she’d jump in the car and head back to Lethbridge where she and Bessie would hit the course for another round.

Mickey loved people and embraced everyone with a big heart and a lot of caring.  She was always offering a helping hand, always had a smile for you. She made friends easily wherever she went, and those friends stayed her great and close friends for years and decades to come.  

Bridget was also a devout Catholic and in the last months of her life her niece, Roseann, sent her a beautiful cross inset with gold nuggets and a sapphire – her birthstone - to show Bridget again how much she was loved.   Before sending it, Roseann had the cross blessed by the Bishop of Yellowknife.   When Bridget found that out, you could best describe her response as “gobsmacked”.    She loved it!

Bridget “Mickey” Given will be sorely and sadly missed by so many …..loving friends and family members who will continue, for years to come, to tell stories about their many good adventures with her. They will smile at those memories and remember that Bridget’s was “a life well lived”.

The family would like to extend a sincere and heartfelt Thank You to the wonderful staff at Southwood Care Centre for the excellent care she received over the six months she was with them, and to the many friends who came to visit with her.

Bridget chose to be cremated, and to not have a viewing prior to cremation. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date to be determined by the family.

For anyone wishing to recognize Bridget, it was her sincere wish that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to either a local Veteran’s Food Bank, or to the Women In Need Society, to assist those less fortunate and in need.

God Bless and Rest in Peace lovely lady.  You will be forever in our thoughts and prayers.

In living memory of Bridget Given, 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.