On Monday March 4, 2019, Edna May Lane of Sidney, British Columbia, passed away peacefully at the age of 99.

She was born January 23, 1920 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to a large family consisting of parents Edward Lelliott and Emily Jane (Ransom); brothers: Ernie, Bill, Len, Alfie, and sisters: Val (SEYMOUR) and Marge ( KRANING) all of whom are deceased.

Edna lived the early part of her life in Winnipeg but after marrying William Edward Lorne Clayton in 1941, moved to Princeton-Hope, Kelowna and then to Edmonton. With the accidental passing of her husband in 1952, she was left to support 3 children, Len (1943), Leslie (1946), Lorne (1953). She then married (Adam Schmunk), who passed away shortly before Edna gave birth to David (1956).

Edna was a strong, determined woman, who was very protective of family. In 1956, already widowed twice and with a young family of four, she temporarily took in an infant that couldn’t be cared for by his young mother. “It was like losing one of her own” she said, when the mother was finally able to take back and care for her child.

In order to support her young family, she worked in a small woman’s clothing store in Edmonton, eventually becoming part of management. In 1965 she married Mitchell (Shorty) Lane. After retirement they spent considerable time traveling the world, then moved to a small acreage near Spruce Grove, Alberta. 

They moved back to Edmonton in the late 1980’s when Edna was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer and was not expected to live. The doctors forgot to tell her though, and with the appropriate treatment and care at the “Cross Cancer Institute, (where staff dubbed her “The Miracle Woman”), she went on to live another 30 years.

The next period of their life was spent living part time, in Edmonton and Sidney with the occasional foray into warmer climates. With Shorty’s passing in 2001, Edna eventually moved full time to Sidney. Son-in law Ken passed in 2010, but the greatest test to her resolve came when her beloved daughter Leslie succumbed to Cancer in 2012. But life goes on and Edna spent the remaining years of her life happily roaming the streets of Sidney-by-the-sea.

Edna/Mom/Gramma/Great Gramma left a living legacy of her extended family and will be greatly missed by her 3 sons, 2 daughter’s in law, 8 grandchildren and their 4 spouses, 9 great grandchildren, and numerous niece/ nephews, and friends.