Elva "Grace" (Hagerman) Allan
Jan 26, 1931 - Sept 10, 2017
Our beautiful mother and grandmother is pitching for a new team in heaven now.
Grace was born in Amherst to Mary Evelyn (Osborne) and Guy Hagerman. She grew up the youngest of four children, living briefly on Hickman St., then moving to the Marsh at age four. Her Dad coached the Amherst Red Wings softball team and she started playing at age twelve alongside her sisters Rae and Joann. She became a pitcher and a force to be reckoned with.
In high school Grace excelled at basketball. She stayed in school two extra years just to play, graduating only when she was too old to play any longer.
She also excelled at bowling and bowled with her sister Rae in both Amherst and Sackville and in tournaments throughout NS and NB.
Somewhere between throwing balls she found time to marry Douglas Allan and raise five children. She always told people she didn't need to go to church. Her family was her religion. She loved us dearly. She was the best mother and grandmother a child could ask for. Our home was a haven to all of our childhood friends, even into adulthood.
When her dad's team folded she played for various other ball teams including Moncton and Springhill and would often hitchhike to Moncton and back to play ball. In the late 60's she and Doug and Rae formed a new Red Wing team. They taught a great many Cumberland County females, young and not so young, either to play ball or to be better at it. Mom loved her ball players and shared her love of the game with them until well into the 80's, always referring to them as "my girls". She taught them to be competitive while being a good sport. When fast ball died in Amherst, she turned begrudgingly to slow pitch and continued to play until she was 67. She was proud of her 55 years of softball. She was recognized by the Amherst Sports Award Committee and later inducted into the N. S. Sports Hall of Fame. She was tagged out by her Hagerman knees which she had to have replaced in September of 99 and Jan of 2000. She played her final game at age 69 in her 2000 high school reunion.
Grace was an accomplished knitter from a very early age. Between October and May when she was wasn't playing ball, she spent countless hours designing and knitting for her children, grandchildren and for craft sales. When she quit smoking after 36 years in 1988, she occupied her hands year round by knitting, and spent her extra money on yarn. She also loved to bake and share with family and friends.
Anyone who knew Grace, knew that she loved country music. She had over 4000 albums which she loved to play and catalogue. Over the years she wrote down the words to hundreds of songs and made songbooks and index books, and enjoyed sharing them with anyone who called wanting the words to a song.
She was a fan of yard sales, making the rounds with her best friend Bette Cormier for many years, collecting teapots and more records.
She continued bowling into her late 70's and loved her bowling friends. She'd always done crossword and jigsaws and continued to do so even when the dementia robbed her of her ability to remember what she'd had for supper.
The dementia came on slowly over about ten years, robbing us of our brilliant, independent, creative, competitive, active, loving, humorous mother. Through it all, her love of her family, and her smile remained constant. She stayed in her home until January 2012, not wanting to leave the Marsh where she had lived 65 of her years.
Grace leaves behind her children, Michael (Dartmouth) and forever daughter-in-law Sheila (Leamington), their daughter, Niki; denise (Gary Babineau) of Amherst and grandson, Nathan; Peter (Michelle) of Calgary and grandchildren, Nina, Carley, Ashley, Meghan, Nicholas, Maeve and Sean; Patrick (Lise) of Mount Uniacke and grandchildren, Scott and Moira; Vonnie of Amherst and grandchildren, Nolan, Courtenay, Liam and Kenzie, and her special niece, Criss Sarson. She also leaves behind numerous great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Grace was predeceased by her husband Doug, her mother and father, two half brothers, Earl and Harold, sisters, Joann and Rae, Alberta in childhood and Edna in infancy, brother Ronald and also Winston in childhood, two infants of her own: Susan Rae and "Little Doug", grandchildren, Matthew and Joshua in infancy, cherished daughter-in-law Kathy (Lines), and beloved adventurous grandson Raymond.
She spent nearly 5 years at White Birches and the last 10 months at Gables. In both places Mom was loved by the staff and treated like family. For this we are so thankful and we are so appreciative of the love and care that Mom and we the family received from the staff of Gables in her final days.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Furlong-Jones Funeral, 70 Church Street, Amherst, (902-667-8777) from where visitation will be held on Sunday, October 8, 2017 from 1:00 pm until the time of the funeral service at 2 pm. Rev Donald Miller officiating.
If so desired donations in Grace's memory may be made to White Birches Lodge, Gables Lodge or the Amherst Food Bank.
Sharing of memories and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting Grace's online memorial at www.furlongjones.ca or through the Furlong-Jones Funeral Home Facebook page.