Scouter Glenda Ashdown, age 78 years, went home on December 20, 2021.
Glenda lived on a farm north of McLean, Saskatchewan, which “was the delight of her life.”
She was a wife to husband John, and mother to sons Mitchel, James and Keith Ashdown, and was predeceased by her daughter, Myrna, in 2016.
Glenda officially joined the Scouting Movement in 1977 when the two oldest boys were active in Scouting and wanted to attend a Canadian Jamboree in P.E.I. To attend the jamboree, they needed to register the group and obtain a charter. John was the chairperson, Glenda was secretary-treasurer. She remained in the treasurer role until 2021 when her health failed.
In 1978 Glenda gave up the secretary role but became the head Cub leader, continuing in this role for many years. She also worked as the Group Commissioner, Beaver leader and helped wherever else she was needed. She ran regular Cub meetings, and attended many camps at the farm, district camps at Gilwell near Lebret, and provincial camps at Moose Jaw, Anglin Lake and Prince Albert.
She spent a week at a Canadian Jamboree in Prince Edward Island as staff. She also went along as a helper on several Venturer outings in Waterton Park, Banff and canoe trips north of LaRonge on the Churchill River. She participated in Campanoe Challenge with the Scout group leading both first year at Good Spirit Lake and second year on the Assiniboine River from Kamsack, Saskatchewan to Pyott’s Point in Manitoba.
Glenda was always a leader with the Scouting group both locally and at the district level, training Cub leaders for many years; she was the backbone of the group tackling tasks from fundraising to leading Scouting activities. She prepared the menus and put the food together for all canoe trips on the Churchill River making jerky, fruit leathers and other dehydrated items so they did not carry any extra weight.
Glenda became involved with the McLean Women’s Club, and the Recreation Board soon after moving to McLean, providing meals for New Year’s Eve Cabarets, Sports Day Suppers, dinner theatres, weddings, funerals and family functions.
Glenda’s garden provided a lot of vegetable and fruit for these events as did her legendary pies and other baking. Glenda was also quite involved with the McLean Bethel United Church, both the UCW as well as the local board.
Glenda kept as active as she could right to the end. She organized the making of cabbage rolls on December 2, 2021 for the McLean Christmas Parade on December 4, 2021 and on that day, she was in the kitchen supervising the luncheon put on by the Scouting Group. Glenda will be sadly missed by all her family and friends. This fitting poem expresses Glenda quite well.
There Are:
So many lives she touched in a positive way
So many memories that bring a smile and
Show the wonderful person she was
So many stories about how she made
A difference or made someone’s day
So many hearts that are feeling sadness.
Because she was here – because she was loved.
