A Sad Day for the Women's Alliance Party

The Women's Alliance Party lost a true-blue friend and mentor this past week when Loraine Whillans-Redford succumbed to a rogue aneurysm which snatched her from life on Tuesday afternoon.

Loraine was an early adopter of all things social justice and when WAP/PAF was announced in January, she immediately signed herself and her daughter, Tracey, as members. If you've seen a copy of our brochure, it is Loraine's hand in that of another women, joined in solidarity, that is shown.

Tirelessly at work in her various communities, here on Ottawa and in Gracefield with her partner, Paul, she brought light and joy wherever she traveled.

Whenever asked how she was doing, Fabulous! was her inevitable answer. Loraine was not one to shrink from adversity, her own of that of others; she seized bad luck like a rug that needed shaking and she prevailed until she beat it or made the best of it.

She truly had a way of making things better as she stood up for other people's rights and comforts. Working in a restaurant on one of Ottawa's main streets, she had her finger on the pulse of what was right in the community and what wasn't quite working out. To this end, she started an organization called Loraine's Dream because it was her vision of how the world should be fair and just to everyone and about how if people were given a little hand up, most would steady themselves and be good on their own. Sometimes, it just took her finger gently wagging for them to right themselves; at other times, a fingertip slightly prodding.

In recent years, since retiring from working at the restaurant, she was spending more time in Gracefield with Paul where they continued to build on their acreage. It was another dream of Loraine's to open a tea house and she had been collecting tea pots and paraphernalia for years. She wanted to offer hospitality to wayfarers, along with family and friends.

Loraine was WAP's Archivist as she loved keeping binders of photos and information. It was natural for her to assume this role.

Esther and I are very sorry that Loraine is no longer here to guide us with her attention to detail and her indefatigable good cheer and energy.