LEAMAN, REBECCA
Rebecca Jane Leaman, age 55, of Keswick Ridge NB, died Sunday, December 20th 2015 in the Palliative Care Unit at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton of advanced colon cancer. Born July 5th, 1960 in Moncton, NB, Rebecca was the daughter of Marion E. (Horton) Leaman and the late Hayden L. Leaman of Fredericton and Deer Island.
Rebecca is survived by her husband Richard (Rick) Atkinson, mother Marion E. Leaman, sister Margaret (Jeremy) Forster, brother Karl Leaman, and niece Emily Leaman, all of Fredericton.
Rebecca graduated from UNB (B.Ed. 1984) and was a freelance writer/editor when she met Rick in 1990. Rebecca and Rick collaborated as both life and business partners for their 25 years together. Rebecca embraced the internet – which enabled her to engage with the world in a way that suited her nature. She made friends and acquaintances on several continents through various online writing communities and forums – always ready and willing to share her creative and technical knowledge to help others succeed.
She loved gardening and the challenge of choosing perennials and wildflowers that suited the natural landscape surrounding her rural home. Most days you'd see Rebecca walking her two greyhounds down a local field road or chatting with a neighbour who'd stopped on the roadside to exchange recent news within the local community. Her absolute favourite place to walk was the Beaver Pond Trail at Mactaquac Park.
There will be no memorial service at this time; however, family and friends will gather to celebrate her life at her Keswick Ridge home when Rebecca's garden starts blooming in the spring. The family wishes to thank all the medical professionals who assisted Rebecca at various stages of her illness, particularly Victoria General Hospital (Halifax), DECH Oncology and Palliative Care Units, and the NB Extramural Program.
Rebecca prearranged to donate her remains to Dalhousie Medical School, where she'll now contribute to the knowledge of future medical students.
If you wish, charitable donations may be made in her memory to Greyhound Pets of Atlantic Canada (www.gpac.ca) or the Canadian Cancer Society (www.cancer.ca).