Margaret “Elayne” Wardell

In Loving Memory of  Margaret “Elayne” Wardell (nee Church)

Peacefully, in her sleep, on September 4, 2026, in her 81st year, Elayne completed her journey on earth. Elayne will be dearly missed by George Wardell, her beloved husband of 59 years. Mother of Glenn Wardell and Lynn Wardell Aitchison and her husband Robert Aitchison. Cherished Nana of Dustin (Stephanie), Jordan, Jacob (Ashley), Nakita (Connor), Jarrod and Clinton and Great Grandmother of Maisie, Everett, Eden, Elliot and Elias. Sister of Joan Church. Sister-in-law of Jay and Carol Hoover, Shirley Cookson, Linda Silverthorne and Russ Robinson. Aunt and Great Aunt to many nieces and nephews. Elayne will also be missed by many cousins and friends.

Elayne was the daughter of the late Leonard and Margaret Church. Daughter-in-law of the late Alfred and Annie Wardell and the late Margaret Silverthorne. Predeceased by her sisters Janet Church and Linda Miedema, brothers John Chuch and Earl Church, sisters- in- law Lillian Robinson, Marion Kindree and Pat Jamieson and brothers-in-law Gord Kindree, Jim Cookson, Larry Silverthorne and Joe O’Reilly.

Elayne, originally from Jarvis, was an active Volunteer for over 55 years in the Paris community, most notably with St. Paul’s United Church and the Paris Block Parents, where she also served on the Executive for many years. She also canvassed for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society. Elayne was a member of the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club (Chapter 6) with her husband George. Elayne and George enjoyed many years of vacationing trips on the motorcycle with their fellow Blue Knights’ friends. Elayne worked hard to get her own Motorcycle license at one point so she and George could ride their bikes together. Elayne was an avid gardener, both flowers and vegetables and for many years market gardened an acre and a half of land by hand in Paris. Elayne saved the money she made from gardening to help pay for a trip to England for herself and her children in the mid 1980’s.

Elayne loved the family cottage in South River and nothing made her happier than spending her summers there, having her grandchildren come to stay with her for weeks at a time, finding various wild fruits to pick and then using them to make all kinds of jams. Elayne also enjoyed making chocolates and various pickles and preserves, and entered some of her pickles, jams and preserves in the Agricultural Society’s exhibits at the Paris Fair for many years.

Elayne had a great sense of humour and loved talking to people, she was easily able to strike up conversations with complete strangers she met in the grocery store or hardware store, quite often to her grandchildren’s chagrin. Elayne enjoyed many creative projects and various crafts. Elayne loved Christmas and really enjoyed making creative décor and Christmas tree ornaments and she loved decorating the house for every holiday.

Elayne was an elementary schoolteacher with the Grand Erie District School Board for over fifty years. Elayne was passionate about teaching children, to the point that her fascination with learning and discovering new things was infectious and demonstrated for many children that learning can be fun. Elayne may be remembered by some she taught as the teacher who had a baby deer fetus that she had preserved in some kind of formaldehyde solution and would take in to the school for the kids to see and learn about.

As per Elayne’s wishes cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will be held in the future, date and location to be announced.

Over the last ten years of her life Elayne battled both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia with determination and tenacity. Donations to The Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton in memory of Elayne would be appreciated by the
family.  https://alzda.donorsupport.co/page/donate?recurring=once