Freda Joy Carmichael (née Sturgeon)

Freda Joy Carmichael (née Sturgeon), aged 91, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 8, 2022, in London, Ontario.

Freda was born on August 12, 1930, on a farm in Bourdeau (Ryerson Township), Ontario, to parents James Sturgeon and Lily Ellen (née Mulligan). The ninth of eleven children, Freda attended elementary school close to Bourdeau at U.S.S. #2 until her family moved to the town of Huntsville, so her father could work for the Muskoka Wood Company. She attended Huntsville High School as a teenager, living in the house on the hill at the end of Main Street and working at The Dominion Bank after graduation.

One day, Robert Carmichael walked into the bank, and the rest was history. They were married in Port Carling, Ontario, on September 3, 1954. The following year they welcomed the arrival of their first child, Tim, in July of 1955, and their family grew for the second time in December of 1956 with the birth of Catherine. By the mid-1950s, they had moved to London, Ontario, and after a few years, their family expanded from four to six with Lori in December of 1961 and Lynda in February of 1963. Although Freda’s hands were full, she always kept her family and home looking sharp; she was a thrifty homemaker, sewing her children’s clothes and making sure her home was always in tip-top shape.

In 1966, her talent for budgeting led her to return to work as a teller, this time for Scotiabank at the branch on the corner of Dundas and Lyle Streets in London. She was a fixture at her branch for 29 years, retiring in 1995. In her nearly 30-year career, she worked with many colorful clients and colleagues, celebrated each holiday with decorations and dressing up, and met the challenges of the numerous innovations in her field with grace.

Freda also took pride in her lifetime membership to the Women of the Moose London: Chapter #845, which she joined in the mid-1960s. During her time with The Moose, she held each of the executive positions, sat various chairs, and was a fundraiser for a variety of children’s charities. She and Bob enjoyed travelling and took their children on many family trips to Mooseheart, Illinois. They also made an annual trip to Florida each winter, relaxing in Coco Beach and in Tampa, and, in later years, bringing treats home for their eager grandchildren.

The biggest treat for Freda and Bob was being able to stay in the hotels where the Toronto Blue Jays were staying during their spring training. As avid “Jays” fans, Freda and Bob closely followed the season each year. In the last decade, Freda could often be found in the afternoons and evenings in her Bautista jersey watching the game – assuming the game was in the Jays’ favor; otherwise, she had likely called it an “early night”. She will be fondly remembered for her keen sense of style, her collegiality, her fuchsia geraniums and matching lipstick, her love of family dinners, her pecan pie and candy salad, her support for her favourite Jays: Alomar, Carter, and Bautista, and her delight in a good show tune.

Freda’s family wishes to express their sincere thanks to the staff at McCormick Home, where she lived from 2019-2022. They consistently did their best to provide care and compassion for both Freda and her family, especially through the pandemic.

Freda is predeceased by her husband of 55 years, Robert Gavin Carmichael (d. 2010), her parents, James and Lily Sturgeon (d. 1957 and 1978), 9 siblings, and many friends. She is survived by her sister, Shirley West (John d. 2021), and dearly missed by her children: Tim (Patty d. 2020), Catherine (Joseph d. 2009), Lori (Barry), and Lynda (Fred), as well as 8 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A private service has been held at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, in London, Ontario. The service was conducted by Reverend Canon Greg Smith. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the McCormick Care Foundation.