July 8, 1926 - October 14, 2022
In loving memory ~
Phyllis Brett (Walls), a retired School District 68 Teacher, passed over peacefully on Friday, October 14, 2022, at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Phyllis was predeceased by her husband Roland a prominent figure at the Pacific Biological Station; two sons Stephen and Eric; and her sister Gladys and brother-in-law James Swan.
Phyllis was born in Nanaimo to Ruben and France Walls on July 8, 1926. She enjoyed reminiscing about riding her bike to deliver milk; watching, and later attending dances on Newcastle Island; traveling by train, to Toronto, to marry the love of her life, Roland Brett; living in England while Roland completed his Ph.D. at Cambridge, and boating with her family in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island.
Phyllis will be fondly remembered by the many students she taught, and mentored, up until her retirement in the early 1990's. For the past many years Phyllis, determined to be independent, continued to walk to the Port Place mall to do her food shopping, banking, and keep her hair appointment with Leona at Port Place Hair Spa. During these years she had some special people in her life including her cousin Berniece Ward and her late husband Ken; Geraldine Girard and members of her family; Shirley Hopper and members of her family; and Arnold Westaway and his family, especially Peter and Balbir.
Up until being hospitalized mid-last week, Phyllis was living at Keeping House and enjoying each day to the fullest. She was even dancing with her housemates this past Wednesday!
Family and friends would like to gratefully thank the staff at Keeping House and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital along with Aslan and Janet at The Beacon. Should you like to remember Phyllis, please donate, to a charity of your choice.
Found hand-typed in Phyllis's personal papers (unedited):
Yesterday is already a dream,
Tomorrow is only a vision,
Today well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.
~by Kalidasa, Indian Sanksrit Playwright and Poet, Hindu Philosopher, 4 - 5th century A.D. (One of several translations from the original Sanksrit.)