Yvonne “Chip” Inkster

INKSTER, Yvonne “Chip” Claire, (nee Carpenter) died on Saturday, November 26, 2016 in her 93rd year in her residence at Elgin Lodge, Port Elgin, ON.   She met the love of her life, Robert S. Inkster (deceased 2009) on her 18th birthday in Hastings, England.   She was a Radar Operator in the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, he was in the Canadian Army.   They married March 27, 1945, and she followed him to Ottawa, Canada as a War Bride in April 1946.   She was lovingly welcomed by the rest of his family; his mother, May E. O. Inkster and his sisters Katherine Ferguson and Muriel Hornell.

Rob and Chip were together for almost 64 years and raised five children:   Michael (Soni) of Sudbury, Penelope of Port Elgin, Robert (Wanda) of Niagara Falls, Timothy (Sylvia) of Burlington and William (Pam) of Port Elgin.   Their second daughter, Wendy Ann, died in 1956 aged 3 months.   Chip had no favourites among her beloved 11 grandchildren: Krysia (Mark) Gowland, Wendy (Phil) Metcalfe, Ann-Marie Collins, Jason (Stephanie), Becky (Nick), Alan Collins, Erica (Greg) Pretty, Christopher (Courtney), Gregory (Aynsley), Simon and Irina, and of course, all her 12 great-grandchildren are geniuses.   She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and dear friends, especially Helen D.

She was proud to say she had been in every province at least once, other than Nunavut and the Yukon, but called Ottawa “home”. They also lived in Montreal, Ancaster, Burlington, and Hamilton and enjoyed retirement from McMaster University in 1983 at The Old Schoolhouse in Sandy Cove, N.S.   They returned to Ontario in 2006, settling in Port Elgin.

Cremation has taken place.   A gathering to celebrate Chip’s life will be held in the Elgin Lodge Activity Centre, 551 Mary Street, Port Elgin on Sunday, December 11th from 2-4 p.m.  Everyone is welcome.   Interment in Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa will take place on her birthday, June 19, 2017.   In lieu of flowers, donations to the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Fund or the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, Southampton, would be appreciated by the family.   Online condolences may be made at www.greybrucecremation.com.