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Monica, Rosemary (Brennand) Socha

January 11, 2006

Socha, Monica, Rosemary

(Brennand)

We lost our light and laughter: beloved wife, companion, friend and mother on January 11, 2006. She passed away after a short illness at the Nanaimo Regional Hospital. Born in Grendon England, only child of Hugh and Annie Brennand of Silsoe, later of Harefield England. Monica was an executive secretary at Pinewood Studios prior to and during the war, involved with production and media release. She worked with many now famous names, such as the Korda brothers, Merle Oberon and Edith Head. During the Battle of Britain, while at a post-production party in London, she met the love of her life and best friend Flt. LT. Tadeusz (Ted) Socha, of the Polish Squadron of the RAF. They were married on June 24, 1946. Ted and Monica, along with their daughter emigrated, landing Montreal Canada in November of 1951 after a very tumultuous sailing across the water. From there they took a train to Toronto where they had their first impressions of the vastness and emptiness of their new country. For the next eight years they lived in Toronto, Monica worked as a secretary. They moved in Oakville in 1959 where they settled for the next twenty-eight years. Monica loved to travel and she enjoyed going with Ted to Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, across the U.S. and Canada. She also traveled for five years every winter with a girlfriend from Eastern Canada to Jamaica making trips to other Islands along the way. She loved meeting people, making long lasting friends and learning about different cultures. After moving to her dear Parksville with Ted in 1987 they continued their adventures to the States, Cook Islands, and Cuba. She and her daughter went on an Alaskan cruise as well. She felt at home in the Parksville area with wonderful neighbours and friends. She touched many lives along her life path with a cheery smile and friendly chats. She loved walking in Rathtrevor, Parksville Community Park or at Qualicum Beach, enjoying the wild birds, water flowers, people and dogs. She relished life, enjoyed the moment, thought of others. Her dedication to her friends was exemplified with 48 years of weekly letters to her dearest friend Doris Compton in Harefield England. Their friendship was enduring to the last when Doris passed away in 2003. Her loving husband and their daughter Lucinda as well as her friends will dearly miss Monica. Monica’s favourite times of year were spring and summer. She would sit in the garden amongst the flowers, watching the birds, drinking tea with the cat by her side, talking to Ted while he worked.

Monica’s Celebration of Life

(Time and place to be announced at a later date)

will be held in the garden with a tea afterwards.



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