Rev. Canon Audrey Conard

Audrey Mary Collet Conard
April 18, 1943 – September 15, 2015

Passed away after a hard struggle with breast cancer at Ian Anderson House in Oakville. Will be greatly missed by her beloved husband of 51 years, Bruce; her daughters Brin and Hil; son Alemayehu (Afomia); grandchildren Sahilu, Kate, and Bethlehem; brother Alan and sister-in-law Judith. Born in St. Louis and brought up in Florissant Missouri. She attended Knox College in Galesburg Illinois, majoring in creative writing. She and Bruce were married in 1964 and she worked then as a secretary in the business office at Iowa State University. They then moved to Lawrence, Kansas where she was primarily a wife and mother and started on her poetry career. She has been published in many journals and magazines in North America. In 1972 Audrey and Bruce immigrated to Canada where they became Canadian Citizens in 1981. Audrey was a parishioner at St. Jude’s Anglican Church in Oakville for many years. She enrolled in the University of Toronto, School of Theology, from which she obtained a Masters of Theology degree, and was subsequently ordained as a Priest in the Anglican Church of Canada. She served as a Curate at St. Simon’s Anglican Church in Oakville and then became Rector at the Church of Our Savior in Stoney Creek from which she retired in 2004 and became an honorary assistant Priest at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church in Oakville. Her passion was serving people in need and she was much loved by all the worshippers who surrounded her. The family would like to thank the staff at Credit Valley Hospital Cancer Center in the Oncology and Palliative Care departments for their magnificent care and understanding. She was also wonderfully cared for by Amanda Schuler (Revera), Ela Wywijas (Acclaim), Robyn Dafel (Calacare). Special thank you to all of the people at Ian Anderson House who cared for her the last two weeks of her life. In lieu of flowers, Audrey would wish donations be made to Breast Cancer treatment and research or to St. Matthew’s House in Hamilton. A visitation will be held at Ward Funeral Home 109 Reynolds Street, Oakville on Friday September 18, 2015 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A Funeral Service will take place on Saturday September 19th, 2015 at 11 a.m. at St Cuthbert’s Anglican Church, 1541 Oakhill Drive, Oakville. Audrey’s cremated remains will be placed in St. Jude’s Cemetery in Oakville at a later date. Please visit the Book of Memories at www.wardfuneralhome.com