Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I regret to inform you that Sarah Jane McLeod passed away on October 12, 2017. Sara Jane Isaiah was known as well as Sally. She was born on September 27, 1933, in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, to Eva Isaiah and Foster Browning.
Sally grew up in Aklavik as a ward of the church. She attended school there. As an adult, she returned to Fort Simpson, where she did odd jobs around the community before moving to Edmonton to work at the Charles Campsell Hospital. Later on, she returned to the North to work as a domestic worker for the family who ran the Forestry Department in Fort Liard.
There, she met her future husband, William Charles McLeod, who passed away previous to her. William had four children from his previous marriage, Frederick, Phillip, Mavis, and Ernest. Sally and Willie were married in 1953. They had nine children together; Angus, Ellen, Morris, Gladys, Ruby, Mabel, Kathie, Sharon, and Dolly.
Mr. Speaker, Sally had many talents. She was a wonderful seamstress and a fabulous cook. She made parkas and moccasins for her whole family, and they looked forward to receiving these. She sold parkas to the RCMP. She worked as a cook for local prisoners and various workers who came into town, then she decided to seek employment with the Hudson Bay Company. Later, she became the post mistress when the post office moved to the Northern Store. She held that position until she retired.
After retirement, she spent her time reading, doing crossword puzzles, and watching movies. Whenever somebody stopped by her house, there was always coffee, tea, and pilot biscuits. She was famous for having two candy dishes left for visitors. She was a caring, gentle, and soft-spoken lady whom I got to visit numerous times.
At age 70, Sara undertook the raising of her great grandchild Leona, who was just six months old. Sara was surrounded by her family in Fort Liard, as most of them still live there with their families. In her late years, Shayla, her granddaughter, would do her errands and make sure that her bills were paid and she had groceries. Various sons, daughters, and grandchildren were always visiting her and taking her on outings. Her son Angus took her berry picking just prior to her 86th birthday.
Christmas was a busy time for her. She would make sure each and every one of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren had something special. You think you knew her. All through the years, her children bought her Elvis memorabilia, and she would display this throughout the house. Just recently before she passed away, she commented, "I don't know why my family keeps buying me so much Elvis stuff. I don't like him." Sara Jane McLeod passed away surrounded by her family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.