September 22nd, 1916 -January 19th, 2020With some sadness but acceptance, we announce the peaceful passing of our mother on Sunday morning, January 19, 2020, at Streamway Villa in Cobourg, Ont.Born September 22, 1916 in Walford Ontario, Verna is predeceased by parents James Thom and Annabel Fisher and siblings Lawrence, Cliff, Jim, Jack, Hazel, Lena and Myrle.Long life has benefits as well as challenges.Verna outlived her siblings, in-laws, a dozen nieces and nephews as well as all her friends; but as original family expire new family emerge.This has been the case as Verna married James Thaxter and begat a son Warren and a daughter Marilyn, who in turn begat three grandchildren.Warren married Lorna Bradley and begat Sherry and Steven, Marilyn married Frank Calderone and begat Shawn. Sherry & Darren Smith begat Quinn and Alyssa; Steven & Lori Thickson begat Kalaya; Shawn & Heather Burke begat Tyler and Shelby, hereby bestowing Verna with five great-grandchildren.One can barely imagine the life changes Verna has witnessed. Early inventions such as the motor car, airplanes and telephones and electricity and a century later, to actual intergalactic travel/exploration and wireless communication. Verna greeted each change in society head-on from learning to drive at a time when it was considered a male activity, to learning to use computers and accepting todays multimedia technology.Verna had a rich employment history including restaurant work as a teen and later, a decade as head cook at Haugen’s Chicken Barbeque at Manchester.Further education in the 60’s led to bookkeeping jobs in Toronto, Ajax and finally in Oshawa at Shoppers Drug Mart. Verna was always involved in the community with volunteering activities.Retirement and the passing of husband Jim in 1977, left time for more volunteering. St Johns Ambulance, Oshawa Senior Citizen Center and Oshawa Distress Center are a few organizations benefiting from Verna’s involvement.The first third of Verna’s life was in Northern Ontario followed by a decade near Port Perry, more than fifty years in Oshawa and a final six years in Cobourg. Verna voluntarily gave up her car at age 90 and progressed to an electric scooter enabling her to continue being involved in all her customary activities within battery-distance in Oshawa.In 2014 a scooter crash while heading out to buy a loaf of bread, resulted in a broken hip and two months in hospital, followed by a new living experience in a retirement home; Palisade Gardens in Cobourg.Time and health necessitated a final move in 2017 to Streamway Villa, a long-term care home, also in Cobourg.Our Thaxter family offer a very special “Thank-you” to the entire staff of Streamway Villa for their wonderful caring service.A celebration of life will be held at ARMSTRONG FUNERAL HOME 124 King Street East, Oshawa; on Saturday February 1st at 11:30am, visitation will be held one hour prior to service time, starting at