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It is with great sorrow that family and friends announce the sudden passing of Pat Goddard. She was born in Erdington, Birmingham, England, the first of 3daughters of Leonard and Jean (nee Coe) Doust. She always suspected she was named after the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (Alberta) who rescued her father during WWI.

Pat started her schooling at King Edward VI Grammar School for Girls in Handsworth, Birmingham. After WWII broke out in 1939, bombing forced the students to be evacuated away from cities. Pat was sent to Worcester in September 1939, returned to Birmingham, and then when water lines were bombed, was evacuated to Coalville and Lichfield. Following graduation, she went home to Birmingham and worked as a clerk. She joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS or the Wrens) on 07 June 1944, the day after D-Day. She was stationed in a headquarters at Lee-On-Solent where she ran messages and wrote dispatches. When the war was over, she returned to clerking.

In December 1951, Pat immigrated to Hamilton, Ontario. There she worked in an engineering company’s drafting office and also volunteered as costume and prop mistress for the Hamilton Players Guild. In December 1963, she married Richard Goddard, a mechanic in the RCAF, and they moved to the RCAF station at Flin Flon, Manitoba. In 1966, after Richard’s 10 years of service were up, they moved to Willow Point where they tended a large garden, loved salmon fishing, and always had a dog. Pat was a founding member of the Campbell River Genealogy Club in 1986. She sewed, preserved fruit and vegetables from the garden, and babysat the neighbour’s children. She volunteered with the Navy League Wrenette Corps from 1971 until 1986 with the rank of Sub-Lieutenant. She was awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the Council of Campbell River in 1994, and in 1997 she received the Campbell River Genealogy Society’s Gladys Smith Award for the most valuable member. Pat and Dick moved to a house in Campbell River in 2006. Dick died in 2009 and Pat remained a very active member of the genealogy society. She volunteered in the genealogy library, greeting and helping visitors who were looking up information on their ancestors.

Pat is survived by her sister Sheila Gardner of Birmingham, England; niece Christine Macmillan of Aberdeen, Scotland; nephew Robert Gardner of Birmingham; 4 grandnephews and 2 grandnieces.

Thank you to Dr. Douglas, Gurdeep Sidhu, and Pat’s family and friends for the care and compassion she has received.

No service by request. Donations in Pat’s memory may be made to the Cawmpbell River Genealogy Society at Box 884, Campbell River, BC V9W 6Y4

Sutton’s Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.



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