Obituary of Elizabeth Ferguson

Of Newport Landing, Hants County, passed away on February 4, 2023, at the age of 87. Born in Halifax, she was the youngest daughter of J. Douglas and Marion (Swan) Fraser.

Elizabeth graduated from Acadia University with a B.A. in 1956 and from Dalhousie University in 1957 with a B.Ed. She taught in Halifax and Dartmouth for three years and after becoming a parent in 1960, taught on a part-time basis as a substitute teacher. This continued after Elizabeth and her family moved to PEI and then to Stellarton, where they remained until 1980. The family's final stop was Hants County where Elizabeth taught music for the West Hants District School Board. She remained at this position until her retirement in 1995.

Elizabeth played organ and piano for various churches in the Hants County area until 2021 and was one of the original members of the Four Seasons Community Orchestra. She also taught piano lessons out of her home in Avondale for a number of years. One of her favorite sayings was from the noted philosopher Nietzsche: “Without music, life would be a mistake”.

She worked for ten years as an interviewer with Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey and always enjoyed meeting and talking with people. She was one of the original “Partyliners” on CBC's Information Morning and for 16 years brought news of Newport Landing and the surrounding area to listeners on a monthly basis.  

After her retirement from teaching, Elizabeth started volunteering with Dial-a-Ride and began to devote more time to playing bridge, an activity she thoroughly enjoyed. She traveled extensively both within Canada and abroad with a train trip through the Canadian Rockies and a trip to Scotland among her favourite adventures. She was often overheard citing one of her father's favourite sayings: “It's better to wear out than rust out”. She was resolutely determined to avoid the latter.

Besides her parents, Elizabeth was predeceased by her second husband, the Rev. Canon Mark Ferguson; her first husband and father of her children, Lloyd H. Robinson; granddaughter, Robyn Gray and sister, Joan Tregunno.

She is survived by son, Gord (Cathy) Robinson, Greenfield; daughter, Ann Gray, Calgary, AB, grandsons, Fraser, James and David Robinson, Greenfield and sister, Gretchen Gillis, Halifax.

Arrangements for cremation have been entrusted to DeMont Family Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 419 Albert St., Windsor (902-798-8317). A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, February 15 in Windsor United Church, 613 King Street, Windsor (masks are encouraged), Rev. David Hann officiating. A reception will follow in the Church Annex. Donations in memory of Elizabeth may be made to any local SPCA. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting: www.demontfamilyfuneralhome.ca