Gwenneth Kathleen (Wendy) Hicks made many friends in England and Canada, and did many things wel
l. This site remembers her.
She was born in London, England in 1925, and died in Victoria, B.C., Canada in 2013.
Along the way she was a telephonist, a Wren, a doctor’s wife, a mother, an actress/singer/comedienne, TV and radio host, college administrator, theatre director and manager, award-winning gardener, hostess, and friend.
Read on. We have pictures.
Wendy will be greatly missed. Her soft humming and “ley,ley, ley” singing will be remembered by all of the staff of the Reminicence Neighborhood. Although she was only with us in Reminiscence a short time she has left a great impression on us. She was a lovely sweet lady.
Family and friends are in our thoughts.
A wonderful tribute to your mother, Tim. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Irene
What a marvellous tribute to a wonderfully versatile and talented woman!
I met Wendy at Georgian College in 1975 when I joined the teaching faculty there. I was certainly young enough to be her daughter but there seemed to be no difference in age between us. We became fond friends, lunching together most days in the college cafeteria. I volunteered backstage for a couple of her music theatre productions. When I got myself into terrible trouble (an ill-advised feminist jest comparing the College Queen contest to a College Cow Contest ) it was Wendy in her official capacity who delivered the gentle reprimand . . . and suggested that I’d remember it “until the cows came home”. She was, of course, quite right.
Even after we had both moved on from Georgian, we kept in touch at least weekly for lunch or coffee during all Wendy’s Barrie years. I cherish a tiny double-breasted yellow knit jacket she made for my baby son, delivered to the hospital the day after his birth by Dr. John. And I remember all the birthdays when she would appear at my doorstep first thing in the morning or I at hers, because Wendy believed that birthdays were to be celebrated all day long and right from the beginning.
Wendy was Queen of Barrie, essentially — an image enhanced by her posh English accent — rather like Lucia in the E.F. Benson novels. She and John were at the epicentre of social life, and she was always always immaciulately turned out in an elegant costume coordinated from toe to head, adorned with her signature blonde beehive. Her media work required it . . . particularly the CNE fashion shows she moderated every year . . . . but the work was not always well paid. Wendy confided in me that many of her classic outfits had actually been acquired from Toronto thrift and consignment shops in an era before the celebration of vintage when people rather tended to conceal that kind of thing. (She passed quite a number of these glorious ensembles on to me and I still proudly wear them.) However, for a lady so very dignified and gracious, Wendy had a notably wicked and irrepressible sense of humour. She never failed to notice the ridiculous and to delight in it. Puncturing pomposity was an art form she perfected.
A photo of Wendy in her Debra Crescent garden sits on a desk in my Innisfil office. Many people who come to see me recognize her and share memories of her. Everyone has a Wendy story. Some think that we resemble each other and assume we must be related. Of course I’m very flattered. “Not by blood,” I’ll reply, “But we were good friends.”
With the Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Wendy chose to retire from the stage of her public Barrie persona and to move to Vancouver, close to Tim and Jane, in 2007. Her Barrie friends missed her and often asked after her. I visited Wendy there in 2008: she loved Sunrise and was completely contented. We kept in touch as long as she was able by phone and by letter.
Wendy had an extraordinary life well-lived. She knew it. How glad all of us who loved her can be that at the end she was able to slip away, quietly and peacefully.
What a beautiful website for a beautiful woman! Well done, Tim!
I will always remember your mom’s warm, gentle personality and her little witticisms.
I have vivid pictures in my mind of her glorious garden on Debra Crescent.
May she rest in peace.
Dear Tim,
Your mom’s obituary in the Barrie Examiner was a wonderful tribute to Wendy. Thank you for sending it along. You were my neighbour on Johnson St. And I knew Dr. John well as I was a lab tech at the Medical Arts. And we were Yacht Club members as you were too. Also as a member of St. Giles Church – my memories of Wendy & John are many – my life richer because of you . She lived a full life.
To Tim, Jane, Graham and MaryAnn
We just heard from Ellen Anderson that your mom passed away. We are sorry to hear that but now she is with your Dad. Your mom was a was a gracious lady. Please accept our condolences.
Don & Sylvia Pelletier
Tim, you have a developed a wonderful tribute to your Mom. Thank you for sharing these special memories with us all.
I had the great pleasure to work with Wendy at Georgian College during 1987 to 1989, and remained in contact with her until her move to B.C. and then annually through our exchange of Christmas card messages. As her Secretary I was fortunate to have a close interaction with her, and the professional guidance and personal life lessons learned in that time remain with me to this day.
Please acccept my condolences, Tim, Jane, Graham, and Marianne.
The “Wendy’ tributes and stories will be pouring in as Wendy takes flight this month. Gracious to the end, her memory will bring gentle smiles on the faces of so many of us who knew, worked with, were influenced by, and cherished her.,
We are so fortunate that technology enables us to celebrate her life through this online tribute.
Thank you, Tim, for doing this! You’ve brought her right back into the centre of our hearts, right here, just now, in this moment!
I remember Wendy Hicks as a little Barrie girl who loved TV. She was a lovely presence on CKVR for many years and an inspirational Barrie Community Member. My sincere condolences to her family.
Dearest Tim. sad day, to hear your Mom has gone, but not forgotten. So hard to lose your parents. its heart wrenching, but to know she is at peace is good.she had a wonderful laugh, a great wit, and a sense of humour. always had a smile and made every one feel like she had known them for yrs. A great LADY. take care dear. hugs to you. and rest in peace dear Lady.
Tim, I am so sorry for the loss of your mother.
I served your mom many times when I worked at Woolworth, and she was always a lady.
I love the picture that you have chosen to be on this site, that is how many of us will remember such a fine
and beautiful lady, inside and out!
What a lovely job you’ve done putting this together. Your Mum sure contributed a lot while she was here. I absolutely love the first picture of her….a lady of true elegance. Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute to her life, Tim.
Wendy was the perfect embodiment of the phrase “if you want something done right,
ask a busy woman to do it”.
She was a class act! Giver of great advice, but most of all a lovely, lovely lady.
Thank you so much Wendy for all the great help and encouragement you provided me
during our 35 year long friendship. It had a very positive influence on my life.
I will miss you a great deal.
My sincere condolences to Tim and family.
John Saso
Thank you Tim for such a lovely picture & tribute to Wendy. I knew you, Wendy & Dr. John as neighbors, yacht club members, church members, but especially Wendy’s talent in the arts. My condolences – peace be with you.
Marguerite
Wendy was a “Woman for all Seasons.” She left an imprint of value wherever she offered her talents. It is obvious that her gifts were many. Her impact on other people was the greatest of them. She was a symbol of good to be emulates by all of us. She has now gone into Community Memory ! — the highest high for any human being.
Donald McKillican, “Principal Emeritus, Georgian College”.
I worked in the Registrar’s Office when Wendy was “The Registrar”. I always smile when I remember the time she knit gloves, with open finger, in order, for us to still work, because it was so cold on the office. I stil have them. Thanks Wendy for the very fond memories. You shall be certainly missed by all who knew you. Heaven shall now benefit from your charisma .
You were an awesome lady — an example to everyone. I remember the Christmas parties that you and John had, we had so much fun. You will be missed by everyone who knew you. My sympathies to your family.
John and Maureen
I catered for Wendy & John for many years, Always a so wonderful to work for,
Wendy gave me plants from her Debra Cr. home, I have in my garden I always think of Wendy every spring when they come up.
The last time I talked to Wendy was April 20 2010, I called to see how she was doing, she was very happy in her new home & being close to her family,
She asked about my family & remember all the party I did for them.
Tim & Jane It was a lovely tribute you did for your mom I enjoyed it.
I’m so happy for the time we had with your mom & dad in Barrie.
Debbie Boychoff
Wendy made quite an impression at our yacht club. She had such a tremendous sence of humor. Her presence was always felt at our social events. John was commodore of our club in 1971. They both contributed a lot of their time and effort to our club to make it a great place to be.
On behalf of myself, the executive, and the Barrie Yacht Club, please accept our condolences Tim, Jane, Graham and Marianne.
We had the priviledge of meeting Wendy when she came to St. Paul’s, Innisfil. We acted in her plays and she was a most generous hostess. She would have a pot-luck at her home and she would give me the date and the time and I would arrange for everyone to bring something. She always asked what “her lady” could make and she was most generous in her hospitality.
We all missed Wendy when she moved to BC but I understood why, to be close to her dear son Tim, Jane and family. We missed her smile and her sense of wit. I would call Wendy on a regular basis until the time her phone was no longer active due to her altzheimers. I know what a debilitating disease this is as Doug’s mom also had this condition. It is very hard for the family to remember what a wonderful person lay underneath that debilitating condition. We have very fond memories of Wendy and used to call her “Our Lady Wendy”.
Fly on my love, go with the Grace of God and may he always keep you in the palm of his hand!!
Until we meet again, much love and condolences to Tim and family.
Sue and Doug.
I played Richard to Wendy’s Aunt Lilly in Ah, Wilderness! at Gryphon Theatre. She was so very generous as a performer. I remember her fondly.
Tobias