Verna Mary Leona (Seely) Cottrill

COTTRILL, Verna Mary Leona (nee Seely)

Passed away peacefully on April 11th, 2021 at Algonquin Grace Residential Hospice in her 89th year.  Verna was born on September 11, 1932 in Huntsville to parents John and Clara Seely.  She is the beloved wife of the late Charles Cottrill who predeceased Verna on October 10, 2004.  Cherished mother of Diane (dec. Don) Godfrey, Ben (Gloria) Cottrill, the late Terry (Darlene) Cottrill and Ellen (Michael) Hopkins.  Proud grandmother of Donny, Michael, Brian and Timothy, Shon, Eddy, Angie, Taylor, Phillip and Ian, Michael, Nicholas, Terri-Lyn, Justin, Ashley and Stacey and Sean, Shannon and Opal.  Dear sister of Marg (dec. Bill) Austin, David (Hazel) Seely, Byron (Beth) Seely, Ralph (Miriam) Seely and Elaine (Gary) Seely-Rheubottom.  Predeceased by siblings Jack Seely, Dorothy Wallis, and her brother-in-law Harold Wallis.  Verna is survived by many great and great-great grandchildren, nephews, nieces, cousins and surrounding family and friends.

Verna worked for many years as a cook, as well as working in home construction. Her family is among the first residents in the Huntsville area and helped grow the city into what we see today.

Verna was a wonderful cook, avid fisherman and hunter. Her love of nature was always present, and she had a green thumb that could be seen in her gardens and flowerbeds around her home. She also enjoyed a good Blue Jays baseball game, and... Dr. Pol.

Mom was viewed by many as the matriarch of our large family and will be greatly missed. Her home was open to everyone and was seen as a gathering place for friends and family alike, particularly on the May 24th weekend, where everyone gathered each year for our annual fish fry. When you walked into Verna’s house, she would offer you a cup of tea, ask if you had eaten, and would feed you whether you had eaten 5 minutes ago, or 5 hours ago. Whether hunting, fishing, cooking, baking her famous strawberry shortcake from scratch, gardening, hosting family, being a home to come to when you needed one, being a hand to hold, or a hug to comfort, or the stern voice to tell you to behave yourself, Verna meant so much to so many that her shoes are not likely to be filled in our lifetimes.

Cremation has taken place.  A celebration of life will be held later.  As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations can be made to Friends of Algonquin, www.algonquinpark.on.ca  Messages of condolence can be left at www.billingsleyfuneralhome.com