Obituary of Patricia Anne Salt

Patricia Anne Salt Born 29th September 1936, died 15th April 2013 Patricia (Pat) was the only child of Stella Dorothy Wilkins, nee Groves, and Albert George Wilkins of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Pat’s father died when she was very young and she and her mother lived in a variety of locations in Warwickshire and Worcestershire while she grew up. She was educated at Bromsgrove High School and thereafter trained as an industrial photographer, working mainly at W&T Avery, industrial scale manufacturers in Smethwick, near Birmingham. In the early 60’s Pat got interested in rock climbing and hiking and joined the Birmingham Cave and Crag Club. There she met Steve, recently demobilized from an RAF Mountain Rescue Team and they quickly fell in love. They were married in 1965 and set up home together near Bromsgrove. In 1969 and two children later, Steve, an engineer by profession, got a job in Jamaica and the family, moved there for the next 4 ½ years. In 1973 Steve was offered a transfer to Toronto and the family moved again. They lived in several locations – Kleinburg, Alliston and Terra Cotta, with Steve working either in Toronto or, later on, Guelph. After all of this, their moving days were far from over: in 1989 Steve was transferred again, this time to the USA where Pat and he stayed for 14 very happy years in Berea, Kentucky. The children were not part of this move, the eldest, Andrew, was employed as an electrician in the Newmarket area and Martin was by now attending Guelph University. When Steve retired in 2004, they decided to return to Canada in order to be closer to Martin who was working in Guelph. They lived first in Kenilworth and, when Pat’s health started to decline, moved into Guelph proper. When they first moved to Canada Pat got very actively involved in dogs and dog training. She not only worked with the family bird dogs but also got very involved in local Humane Society activities generally. She was an excellent obedience trainer and also did much work on animal welfare issues, working with local schools in Kentucky as well as visiting local retirement homes with her companion dogs. In her last couple of years Pat was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and progressive degeneration of the lungs. She did well for the first year but after getting a lung infection this last winter the degeneration increased rapidly to the point that her only option was a ventilator, she declined! She is predeceased by her eldest son Andrew. She was irrepressible and irreplaceable and will be greatly missed by her husband and son but especially by her adored daughter-in-law Ping Lan and her granddaughter Kaya and grandson Tiarnan. Rest in peace NiNi. Arrangements entrusted to GILCHRIST CHAPEL – McIntyre & Wilkie Funeral Home, One Delhi Street, Guelph (519-824-0031). Memorial contributions to The Donkey Sanctuary would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. We invite you to leave your memories and donations online. Service Information Requested Charity Donkey Sanctuary