Taylor, Laila

Laila Taylor (nee Pitkanen), age 84 years, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Thursday, November 4, 2010 at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre.

Laila was born November 8, 1925 in Port Arthur, Ontario. She attended Cornwall and Port Arthur Technical and Commercial schools. She worked at various times for the T. Eaton Company, Canada Manpower, Lakehead Freightways and Manitoba Pool Elevators.

Laila was a source of great love and support for her husband Buster and missed him greatly these past three and a half years. She enjoyed fishing and picking blueberries most recently at Obonga Lake. She loved to go hunting each autumn and was an expert at spotting birds for Buster. Laila took pleasure in preparing wonderful meals on many occasions for large family gatherings. Her pies were memorable. She had a great sense of humour and loved a good joke. Laila was very proud of her Finnish heritage and could often be found shopping and having lunch on Bay Street while hearing her first language spoken all around her. Most of all, she was a wonderful mother and grandmother whose kindness and generosity to her family will not be forgotten.

Laila is survived by her four children, Elizabeth (Pat Byrne), Ann (Don Cattani), Earl (Bev) and Elaine (Garry Rathje). She is also survived by her grandchildren Conor Byrne (Ashley), Maeve Byrne, Sylvi Byrne (Chris), Alanna Cattani (Jozef), Alexa Cattani, Sara Cattani, Laura Taylor (Steve), Cody Taylor (Jody), Sam Taylor and Michael Taylor. She was predeceased by her husband, Buster, in May, 2007. She was also predeceased by her father Frank, in 1986 and her mother Aini, in 1951.

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Laila’s Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 8th, 2010, in the Chapel of Harbourview Funeral Centre, 499 North Cumberland Street, officiated by Rev. Matthew Diegel of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. Visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to Service time. If friends so desire, donations may be made to the Canadian National Institute For The Blind – Northwest Service Centre.