Obituary of Mary (Freda) Elfreda Heacock

HEACOCK Mary Elfreda (Freda) August 8, 1923 - July 30, 2021 The family is sad to announce Freda’s recent passing in Drayton Valley a few days short of her 98th birthday. Freda grew up on a farm near Riceville Ontario, the daughter of E. Lily Peterson and D. Kenneth Scott. She was predeceased by her husband, Harold Heacock, and by her siblings Reita (Ron), Leita (Gene) and David (Conni). She is survived by her four loving children, Edward (Mary), Helen (Paul), Phyllis and Gordon (Lorna) along with numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. As the eldest child, Freda was given some quite major responsibilities even at a young age. One of these involved transporting her siblings to and from town during the winter months in the family’s horse-driven sleigh. On one occasion, the horse jolted loose from the hitch; so as not to lose the horse, the small girl held on tight as she was dragged for some distance through the snow till the animal came to a halt. The family moved to Ottawa during the war, operating a boarding house for servicemen from the US who had volunteered to fly with the RCAF. After the war while working for Mitchell Sharp, then a junior functionary in the federal government, she met Harold, a dashing Air Force veteran and member of the RCMP’s Air Division. Following their marriage in 1949, Harold was posted to Edmonton AB then Fort Smith, NT, where their first two children were born. The next posting took the family to Prince George BC, where Phyllis and Gordon were born. Though Harold was an excellent provider his job as a pilot meant he could be absent the family for fairly extended periods and as a result life particularly in Fort Smith could at times be hard. For example, while in labor with her first child, Freda had to walk to the hospital unaccompanied. After a stint in Ottawa, the family ended up in Edmonton, where they spent the greatest part of their lives and acquired the most friends. Freda contributed countless hours to volunteer organizations such as an IODE whose proceeds went to various charitable causes. The clunking sound of a Gestetner machine could often be heard in the house cranking out leaflets and community newsletters. Roughing it on some of the family’s fun camping adventures was perhaps less enjoyed by her than by the other family members, but Freda was not a complainer. She was sometimes heard to say of Harold that he always did more than his share of the work, but the same was also notably true of her. In an overall sense, what was most important to Freda was the task of raising four good citizens; this must be said to be the key to her legacy. Special thanks to Donna Benoit and to members of Freda's family, above all Gordon and Lorna, for their devotion and care during Freda's final years in Drayton Valley. The family would also like to acknowledge the work of the excellent team at the Seasons Retirement Community in Drayton Valley. A celebration of Freda’s life will take place at a later date. Condolences may be sent to www.affinityfuneralservice.ca. Arrangements in care of Colleen Sekura at: Affinity Funeral Service 5001 - 45 Avenue, Drayton Valley, Alberta 780.542.3338