Lois Evelyn van Vliet

Lois van Vliet of Blyth passed away in Victoria Hospital, London, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 in her 81st year.
She was born, one of twins, on May 29, 1935 on the family farm near Carlow, the daughter of the late Vere Dorval Cunningham and Ethel Mary Brown. It was a large family with a total of 10 children.         She married Cornelis van Vliet and the couple made their home in Blyth for many years.
Lois was very active in her community. She operated a shop, The Blyth Saga, on Blyth’s main street for several years. She was an elder and former archivist for the Blyth United Church. She served as a member of the board of directors of the Blyth Centre for the Arts (Blyth Festival) for many years and later was a volunteer with, and sponsor of, the Blyth Festival Art Gallery. She was a member of the Blyth Horticultural Society and her home and garden were a stop on the tour for judges when Blyth entered the Communities in Bloom competition.
She was a founding shareholder of The Citizen and served on the North Huron Publishing Company board of directors until her death.
For her community service she was chosen Blyth’s Citizen of the Year in 2006.
At her funeral, which was held Oct. 3 at Blyth United Church, she was remembered as a deeply caring person who always saw the best in people. Floyd Herman, retired organist at the church, remembered that about once a year he’d find an envelope on his organ with a note from Lois saying how much she appreciated his music, and a small donation to help with the purchase of sheet music.
Besides her husband Con, she is survived by her daughter Kim and her fiancé Nick Sauro of Windsor and her sons Kent of Hearst and Todd of Toronto. She was the loving grandmother of Ryan and Alexandria Tolton and Michael and Laura Sauro.
Also surviving are three brothers: Ford and his wife Eunice, Burt and his wife Anne and Garth and his wife Ruth, as well as her sister-in-law Lois, wife of Laverne.
She was predeceased by her brothers Elwin, Lorne and Laverne and her sisters Doris, Joyce and June.
Following her funeral Oct. 3, interment was in Blyth Union Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were by the Falconer Funeral Homes. As expressions of sympathy donations may be made to the Blyth United Church or Clinton Public Hospital. Messages of condolence may be left at the Falconer website www.falconer funeralhomes.com.