DAUGHTER Jean Marion Thomson

Jean Righetti  Oct 7th, 1918 - June 11th, 2009

Jean was born in Shrewsbury Shropshire, Eng. Christened at St. Chad's
She lived in Dundee for the most part but still spent summer holidays
there with her Grandfather Thomas Porter Blunt & family .
He had a huge yard and an orchardwith as many fruits as would grow in the region. She admired the garden and her grandfather's botanical skills, as we all heard stories about it over the years.
Years later Jean's own garden rivalled that of her grandfathers' for variety... albeit on a smaller scale

In her younger years her parents both worked and she was in the care of
a Nanny who spent a great deal of time with her. She told Jean stories of
fairies which she then made come "true" by crafting wee items and describing events that might be happening within the hollow "Fairy Tree" they found on a pathway on their many walks together. A friend of her mother's, Bunty, also took her on nature walks, and showed her the wildflowers in nature's garden. She was taught the Highland fling and a few other Scottish dances.
(I remember her stopping halfway through the dishes to regale us with a fling or two about the kitchen. )

July 3, 1929 the family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Grandfather tried several jobs, and it took him years to establish a business. Mom eventually quit school and worked for him in his store. She had lots of hobbies and played sports. I must find a photo of her in her tennis whites and post it. She was a wonderful artist, and was thrilled to have had as an art instructor , the noted Winnipeg artist, Lionel Lemoine Fitzgerald. My siblings were artsy & craftsy, but I was lucky enough to sponge a bit more talent and to have had my Mum as my very first art instructor...

WW2
When the second world came along, Mom was happy to do her part as
a civilian, collecting aluminum and donating her time doing office work .
Mom became an Airwoman in 1941, then late in 1942 was posted overseas.
More about the service years on THIS SITE
After the war, she was one of the few equipment officers chosen to go to
Paris! She had bought cigarettes at the station, which she exchanged for
souvenirs, and visited the Louvre Museum. She enjoyed the restaurants and
bought a button up lace blouse which I remember seemed to have been
tailored for a stick, as she was such a thin woman in those days.

She met my father in Spring 1946 , and they were married on their return
to Winnipeg later that fall...

All these few but fond memories of her early years have now become our
own family history of memories of her early years.

 

Mum's airforce image and a photo by our son when she was 89 plus!

More about Jean's and her husband Paul's War Years HERE