Diana "Di" Beryl (Neal) Crook

A beloved Daughter, Sister, Wife, Aunt, Mother (Mum), Grandmother, Great Grandmother. Diana was born in Nottingham England to a working-class family, her father was a taxi driver and her mother worked as housekeeping staff at the local Royal Canadian Airforce hospital. Di worked as an accomplished seamstress at a clothing factory before she was introduced to a young RCAF airman posted overseas during the Cold War. Subsequently they would marry and have their first child while still living in the UK. Not soon after the birth of John Ernest, Dad was posted back to Canada. Mum arrived in Canada in March 1964 never having before left her beloved “Old Country”. Ten years after becoming a mother, Kristina Dawn would join the family.

As a military spouse, she always worked hard to get things sorted as soon as we would arrive in a new town, ensuring her family could settle in. Proudly British, she carried with her the traditions of the “Old Country” and it often seemed things had to be just so, just in case the Queen popped in for tea. An accomplished crafter, sewer and knitter there was a time when she was always working on something either for family or charity. Mum could often be found sitting in a corner chair for hours knitting bandage wraps for a local church in support of those suffering with leprosy. Mum loved music and would often sing or dance when she heard her favourite song on the radio. Most of all she loved doting on family. This was evident when the family would gather for the holidays, we always had plenty of home baked treats to enjoy, gifts under the tree and stockings stuffed with fruit and nuts.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, Edmonton Alberta or our mother’s chosen charities The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Red Cross.