Holmes, Jacqueline Muriel

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our mother Jacqueline Muriel Holmes, of Cambridge.  She died tragically in the wee hours of the morning December 18, 2024.

She was born in Galt Ontario, to Stanley Boomer, Muriel Boomer nee Jones.

She had four children Shelly Jo, Laura-Lee (Rob) Paxton, Warren aka Terry(Natalie)

She worked many jobs and at times had several jobs to support her children.  She always wanted a nice home for her children and always provided that.  She worked at Butler Metal products from around 1978-until they closed in 2002.  She was a petite woman but could work some of the hardest jobs in the plant.  She also did first aid and EAP as well.   Everyone who knew her would always talk about her great work ethics and her generosity.  She had a big heart and was a mom who would always lend her children money or anyone else if they needed it even if she had little for herself.   Everyone we talked to at her apartment spoke about how happy she always was even though she had a lot of challenges in her life.  She was always smiling was the thing we heard most from them.

She loved to travel and did a lot of travelling in her younger years.  Her friend Wendy was one of her frequent travel partners.  She loved Jamaica, went to Nashville and saw the Grand Ol’ Opry.  She travelled to the UK a couple of times with each of her daughters and travelled to the East Coast and Newfoundland as well with her son Paxton and best friend Wendy.  She travelled to Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard with her daughter Laura-Lee and son in law Rob.  She took her grandson Kyle to Darien Lake along with his mom Yvette. Kyle was her first grandson and she was very close to him in his younger years.  She took him all the time to her brother Terry’s trailer.  She travelled to many other destinations as well.  She enjoyed many weekends up in Wiarton visiting her son and daughter in law. She had so many special memories of all the grand-children.  There were three sets of twins that were her grand-children and her brothers were twins as well.  She would often tell people how 3 of her children had twins. She was so proud of each and every one of her grand-children can speak of the special memories they have had with her.

She loved her dog Daisie Mae and would often dream about her after Daisie passed away.  She would share that it was so real.   Daisie Mae was always by her side for many years and her passing was really hard on her.  She loved to cook and for many years would host family dinners every Sunday for family and friends. She loved to go for car rides with her companion Dave, Port Dover was one of her favourite spots.  Everyone remembers how she cooked the best roast beef and Yorkshire puddings.  Her brother-in-law Randy loved her trifle she made every Christmas at Christmas get togethers.

(Jacqueline) is survived by her companion David Solinger, children Shelly Jo, Laura-Lee (Rob) Paxton, Warren (aka Terry) (Natalie) grandchildren Kyle (Alyssa) , Mitchell (Alex) , Seth, Simon, Shelby, Sabrina, Danielle, Elliot, Gracie, Jack, Aidan, Connor and Dylan and four great grandchildren Kaden, Kensie, Mia and Charlie. She is survived by her siblings Harry (Fay) Gary (Debbie) Randy and Brenda.  She is also survived by her brother in law John Schmitz aka as Schmitty and her sister in law Debbie.

She was preceded in death by her dad Stanley, mom Muriel, her brother David (Nip) her brother Terry who she was fond of and they would watch the Leafs together, her sister Marilyn who she spoke to almost every day and her best friend Sandy who she was friends with since before kindergarten and spoke to her everyday sometimes more than once a day.  She was also preceded in death by her brother-in-law Brian Hagey and sister-in-law Jill Boomer (Griffiths).

She was fond of her many nieces and nephews and all of her family over in Wales.  UK.  Her mother and father were married in Wales and came to Canada almost 9 months pregnant with her.

Thanks mom for your unconditional love, for you teaching your children resilience when faced with adversity, for teaching compassion for those who are suffering and most of all that your character is the most worthy thing you have in life.  You were a woman of great character.  We love you forever.

Special thanks goes out to Cambridge Memorial hospital nursing staff for their kindness and support to our family during this time and to my mom’s best friend Wendy who was there for our family at the hospital and has been there for many decades and was always a great support to our mom and family.

She loved this poem and asked me to print it off so it could be read at her friend Sandy’s funeral. It is fitting for my mom.

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend.  He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears but said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash.  What matters is how we lived and loved and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change?  For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile…remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

Linda Ellis (www.LindaEllis.life)

Cremation has taken place.

A Celebration of Life will be held March 23, 2025 from 1-4pm at the Hespeler Legion.

As an expression of sympathy a donation to One Roof or the House of Friendship as well the Hespeler legion in her name where her parents were members, her siblings and some of her children as well.   Our mom was always giving to the homeless or those in need.