Long-time SWOX councillor Anne Vanhoucke also knew how to make people feel included and comfortable, could talk to anybody and was fascinated by politics, family says
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Long-time South-West Oxford Councillor Anne Vanhoucke unexpectedly died just three days before Christmas.
Married for 43 years to Roger Vanhoucke, her husband said his wife always spoke up for what she believed was right.
Vanhoucke, 73, was also devoted to her family, and was all ready to spend Christmas with her children and five grandchildren she loved so much.
“She was the best grandma,” said her daughter Victoria Vanhoucke. “Mom loved her family more than anything else. She had a great sense of humor. Loved nature and watching and listening to the birds.”
Christmas was one of her favourite times of the year, said daughter Julie Hodgson who described her mother’s personality as “very lively.”
“She loved Christmas, and she decorated very nook and cranny,” she said.
One of her mother’s special qualities was her ability to make people feel comfortable and she could talk to anybody.
And friends often gravitated to her Ostrander Road home.
“She was pure joy,” Victoria said. “She had a way of brightening everyone’s day and making sure everyone was included and comfortable.”
Born and raised on a Delhi tobacco farm, Anne met her husband while working at Vertente Travel and Insurance, where had his insurance policy.
After they married and had four children, they opened Vanhoucke Country Garden Nursery in 1987 so she could stay home and care for her children.
“She was very proud of her nursery,” her husband said.
Her beautiful gardens were once featured on the covers of Lee Valley’s annual catalogue and for a time she taught landscaping at Fanshawe College.
Known for reading the paper from front to back, her interest in politics led to her running for SWOX councillor -- a position she held for 14 years.
Her husband said she particularly enjoyed being on the board of Catfish Creek Conservation Authority.
Warden and SWOX Mayor David Mayberry said she will be missed at council meetings.
“She has always been very supportive of the environment and the Brownsville community at council,” he said. “Her love of nature was partly why she and Roger had the garden center, but also why she was so committed to the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority.
“She will be missed, she was never afraid to express her opinion.”
Visitation takes place on Thursday, December 28 from 9 a.m. until Mass time at 11:00 a.m., in the St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 51 Venison Street West, Tillsonburg.