Evelyn "Evie" Mae Grew, Antigonish, Nova Scotia
On January 24th, 2020, Evelyn departed this world with the same grace and peacefulness with which she lived her life.
Evie was born on August 7th, 1934 in Glenholme, Nova Scotia to the late David Vance and Christine Elizabeth "Lizzy" (Fraser) Grew. Evie’s father had hoped for a baby brother for first-born, Estelle. That boy, John, would eventually arrive. But in the interim, Evie announced that she was "Little David," and was strong-willed and insistent that girls could do anything boys could do. A feminist ahead of her time, Evie would go on to live her life guided by this early proclamation.
Evie’s nurturing spirit emerged early. Growing up on a small farm, Evie loved animals, especially horses. And as an early testament to her fearless sense of determination, young Evie used to hand crank her father’s Model T Ford and take her friends for a ride--long before she had a licence to drive.
Evie went on to live an inspirational life with an unwavering dedication to maternal and child nursing, community health care, and education. She graduated from Oxford Regional High School, and then earned her Nursing Diploma from the Victoria General School of Nursing, Halifax, in 1957.
Evie then moved to the States. In Boston, she completed her Bachelor of Nursing and her Masters of Nursing degrees. She worked at Massachusetts’s General Hospital, and then spent the majority of her career as Director of Nursing at the Beth Israel Hospital, with a focus on maternity nursing. So inspired by Evie’s teaching, the Beth Israel nursing class of 1964 dedicated their yearbook to her.
A woman of strong faith, Evie’s philosophy was that you "save a nation one by one." Evie quite literally brought health care to the people, especially to those less fortunate or marginalized. She set up outreach programs in the inner city of Boston, and established clinics for unwed mothers under Harvard Medical School. She advocated for individuals living with AIDS and homeless people. After a full day of work at the hospital, Evie would fearlessly venture into unsafe back alleys to deliver health care to those in need.
Evie returned to Canada in 1989 and worked as a professor at StFX University. Throughout her tenure there and long after her retirement, Evie worked tirelessly and frequently worked after hours to support nursing students. Evie volunteered on numerous nursing committees and actively encouraged others to do the same.
Evie was a member of the Nova Scotia Task Force on Nursing, which led to nursing reform in the province. She had great respect for Sister Simone Roach, a nursing pioneer who established a theory of caring and the first code of ethics for nurses in Canada. Inspired by Sister Simone’s work, Evie made a presentation on "Ethics in Nursing" to the International Council of Nurses in Vancouver in 1997.
Throughout her career, Evie received many awards. In 1997, Evie received StFX’s Outreach Award for her outstanding contribution to community service for her promotion of health and quality of life. She established a community health outreach program for women in three rural areas of Nova Scotia and also helped secure a mobile breast screening unit for rural areas.
Evie received the Excellence in Nursing award from the Registered Nurses Association of Nova Scotia in 1997. In 2009, the College of Registered Nursing of Nova Scotia awarded Evie with the Centennial Award of Distinction for her significant contributions to the nursing profession.
One of her greatest honours was receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in recognition of her years of service in nursing and contributions to her community.
Evie was predeceased by her parents. She is survived by her sister, Estelle (Robert) Ferrigno, Oxford, Nova Scotia; brother, John Grew, Montreal; niece, Monica (Kenneth), of Glenville, Nova Scotia; nephew, David (Patricia) and their children: Moya Sharma (Venktesh), Mikaela (Brandon), and Jurian, Lower Shinimicas, Nova Scotia.
Visitation will be held Tuesday in C.L. Curry Funeral Home, 135 College Street, Antigonish, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9pm. Funeral service will be held Wednesday in St. James United Church at 2:00pm, Reverend Peter Smith presiding. Burial in Pine Grove Cemetery, Oxford, in the spring.
Family flowers only, please. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Evie’s name to St. Martha’s Hospital School of Nursing Alumni and Sisters of St. Martha Bursary. Please contact Cathy Fraser, Development Officer, StFX University, P.O. Box 5000, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G2W5. Tel. 902-867-5017.
Donations in Evie’s memory may also be made to the St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Foundation.
Special thanks to Dr. Michelle Murphy, Evie’s family doctor; Dr. Jane Anne Howard; Dr. Phillip Cooper; Dr. Khalid; and the kind and caring staff of the Progressive Care Unit and of the Palliative Care Unit at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital.
Evie’s spirit of faith, courage, and generosity will surely live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.
"God bless all." --Evie Grew
