IN LOVING MEMORY OF EDDA MCCANNAN
It is with deep regret to announce that in the morning hours of Thursday, December 24, 2020 Edda McCannan (Nee Junker) passed away at the Dryden Regional Health Centre following a courageous battle with cancer, COPD and stroke, at the age 77 years.
Edda was born on August 2, 1943 in Dessau, Germany (formerly known as East Germany) to Martha (Nee Richter) and Kurt Rudolph Junker. After receiving her nursing diploma, and escaping to West Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin wall she was employed at a hospital in Hemer when she met her husband Keith through a blind date. They married on May 15, 1964 while Keith was serving with the Canadian Armed Forces in Soest, Germany.
In August of 1967 they were sent to Canada to the Ottawa area along with their two children Antje Kathrin and Douglas Wellington. While in Ottawa Edda continued her nursing career working at the Perley Hospital for retired military veterans. Following Keith’s retirement from the forces in 1970 the family moved to Dryden, Ignace and a period of time in Dyment where a year later they welcomed their third child Naomi Heather in 1976. In 1981 they purchased a home in Wabigoon where she has resided ever since.
Edda spent many years working at the Ministry of Natural Resources (also known as The Wabigoon Tree Nursery) as well as making a unique mark on the tourism sector while employed at Huber’s Lone Pine Camp where she earned a Governor General Awards for Tourism Ambassador as well as customer service awards through the Dryden Chamber of Commerce. (Guests such as Hollywood stars Harrison Ford and Carl Malden can attest to this.) Edda retired in December 2011 from PRT in Dryden and while she battled lung cancer and COPD she continued to enjoy her flowers on the deck, wildlife and friends who often visited.
Edda was predeceased by her mother Martha (Nee Richter), her father Kurt Rudolph Junker, her sister Karen Feix, Brother in Law Werner Feix, Aunt and Uncle Heinz and Ernie Bohm and cousin Reiner Bohm. All in Germany.
She is survived by her husband Keith of Wabigoon, her daughter Antje Kathrin (Mark) Nicholson of Blenheim, Ontario and grandchildren Avery, Kayla (Brady) Campbell, great grandson Noah and one due this spring; son Douglas Wellington (Suzanne) of Creston, BC; daughter Naomi Heather (Christian) Larsen, grandchildren Caleb and Aayla of Chetwynd, BC; her brother Rudolph in Germany as well as her niece Gudrun Grey (Rene), children Judith and Amelie of Beckum, Germany and Elke (Berndt) Grubert and daughters Claudia and Antje.
Due to Covid-19 there will be no viewing as cremation has taken place.
A celebration of life may be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers please donate to The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, The Canadian Cancer Society, The Oncology department at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Centre, The Dryden Regional Health Centre or a charity of your choice through the Dryden Community Funeral Home, 249 Grand Trunk Avenue, Dryden, ON P8N 2X3
Thank you to Dr. Moir for your years of care and to Dr. Doiron and all the nurses and staff for your hard work and compassion especially in the face of Covid-19. You are all superheroes.
Condolences may be posted at www.dcfh.ca
