Delina Joyce was born July 6, 1935 in Goderich, Ontario. Her parents were Clarence and Edith (Sproule) Hoy and she was the second oldest of seven children; Doris, Delina, Donna, Clarence, Robert, Terry, and Tim. Her father worked hard in the salt mine under Lake Huron which happens to be the largest underground salt mine in the world. Delina’s mother worked hard at home caring for her family.
To this day, it remains a secret as to how Delina and Earl actually met. But let it be said that Earl was on the boats and the young women of town would go to watch the ships come in. When Earl met Delina she was a nursing assistant at the Goderich Hospital. An interesting story is told as to how Delina received her name. While at gathering, Delina’s name became known and in time a woman approached her to discuss her unique name. Delina told the story that she was named after a young nurse at the Goderich Hospital who was present at her birth. Believe it or not, it was that very same nurse, Delina Fowler, who was speaking to Delina! And they kept in touch until years later when Mrs. Fowler died. What are the chances?
The young couple courted for a year and were then married at St. Peter Anglican Church in Lucknow. The priest presiding over the ceremony was Delina’s priest from Port Albert and their witnesses were Earl’s brother Elmer Teschke and Delina’s sister Donna Hoy. It is uncertain if Delina made her own wedding gown but it is certain that Mary wore it for her own wedding twenty-five years later. It is also for certain that Delina made her own wedding cake, as well as Val and Elaine’s! Following their honeymoon, Earl and Delina settled onto the family farm at R.R. #1 Desboro.
All five children were raised while the family was living on the farm; Valerie, Gerald, Mary, Glen and Elaine. Delina sewed all the kid’s clothing, as well as her own. She baked and cooked up a storm to fill hungry appetites, never using a recipe. Every week the kids would come home from school to find the kitchen table covered with bread and cookies and there would be pies cooling in the kitchen. In fact, Glen says that he is a good cook only because he was taught by the best – his mother! Valerie mentions that by the age of ten she could cook a full course meal to feed the neighbours who helped at harvest time. She often had to feed the kids while Delina was at the hospital with Elaine, all because of her mother’s great teaching. Delina worked the farm, while Earl was away sailing the Great Lakes, in addition to her own huge flower and vegetable gardens. She was also an incredible embroiderer and she knit and quilted. Of course, it surely cannot be necessary to speak of all the canning and preserving Delina did, as well. Most weekends when Earl was home, some family or other would join them for a Sunday feast.
Once the children were all grown, Earl and Delina moved to Niagara-on-the –Lake when Earl “came ashore” and accepted the position of Fleet Engineer of the Soo River Company. Once retired, they moved back to the farm and in 1995 sold the farm to Mr. Martin and moved into Chesley. The entire time they lived in Desboro and Chesley the Teskey’s worshipped at St. Peter’s Lutheran in Sullivan. While living in Niagara-on-the-Lake they continued nurturing their spiritual lives there and when wintering in Florida they were active members of the Lutheran congregation down there. In 2010, Delina and Earl sold their home in Chesley to Elaine and moved out to Jackson. From there, they worshipped with the congregation at Our Saviour’s in Owen Sound.
When asked what Delina’s family most admired about her, the quick answer was that there is not a page long enough to list all of them. Mary loves remembering how Delina was the only person who could put her curly, curly hair into ringlets. Delina was always happy and cheerful, helpful and kind, nurturing, gracious, strong, and a very faithful woman. Her spiritual life was very important to Delina. She was the kind of person that could give you strength when you most needed it. Doing everything for others was yet another trait or habit. Elaine fondly states that her mother was everything to her.
Not only was Delina dedicated to her husband and children she was also dedicated to serving others. When the kids were young Delina taught 4-H at Marmion. For decades, Delina worked diligently as a member of many service groups. Missing her friends, , when they moved, at the local church ladies’ guild, institute and Eastern Star she quickly joined ones in the Niagara region. While there, she became “District Deputy Grand Matron” of District #7. She attended a meeting somewhere almost every night for her full one year term. She was also a member of Bokhara Court, Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America and a member of Women’s Institute, both Louise and Marmion. While living in Niagara-on-the-Lake she catered for busloads of tourists.
Wintering in Florida was not just about fun and games. As mentioned, Delina dedicated time to her church and being a musician she entertained at numerous other trailer parks with the group “The Tin Lizzies.” In her spare time, Delina enjoyed playing euchre and being musical. She played the banjo, Hawaiian guitar, harmonica, and a little piano. And she did this all without being able to read a single note! Imagine! She passed this love of music onto all of her children. Gerald fondly remembers getting his first guitar when he was just a little boy. Delina hated Judge Judy and yet watched her all the time. She also seldom missed an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” all while the knitting needles kept moving. She was always knitting something. One year, she made everyone a Christmas Stocking all with different designs and all had their names on it. There must have been at least twenty-five stockings! She also loved to play bingo in her retirement once she had spare time!
Delina loved to travel with Earl, rarely missing the plowing match wherever it was, the Blyth Steam Show or the Shelburne Fiddle Festival. She enjoyed cruising around in their steamboat that Earl named after her and going to steam shows everywhere. The fact is, they tried to travel somewhere every year, with Branson Missouri being their favourite. In actuality, they were fortunate enough to go there seven times!
As mentioned, Delina and Earl wintered in Florida, Lakeland Florida to be precise. For twenty-two years they have been going down there together. It was just this past winter that Earl went by himself. Elaine has spent the last sixteen years joining their parents in Florida for a few weeks. Mary has joined them for almost ten years. In addition, Val and Steve moved down to Florida in 1999 with Tim and Dee and Travis and remain there all year round. The boys are now raising their own families close by.
Delina’s greatest challenge, aside from raising five children, was when her health began to deteriorate some twenty years ago. When dementia began to steal even more from her, Delina moved into Parkview Manor in Chesley. Up until that point, Earl was her primary caregiver. Once in Parkview, Delina kept pretty much to herself; visiting with Earl, reading, resting, playing cards with Elaine in the evenings, and enjoying lunch twice a week with Mary and Elaine. No matter when one went by to visit Delina her devotional books and bible were close at hand. She never lost sight of the importance of prayer and always attended worship services.
Devastatingly, and after a very brief stay in hospital, Delina Joyce Teskey (nee Hoy) of R.R. #5 Owen Sound, formerly of Chesley, passed away peacefully and with little pain, with her family by her side, at South Bruce Grey Health Centre, Chesley on Saturday, June 11, 2016 in her 81st year. For more than a week, Delina was not eating, drinking, or speaking. On her last day Delina was unresponsive to everything. However, as she drew her last breath she mouthed three words; “I,” “love,” “you!”
Beloved wife of Earl John Teskey for 59 years. Precious mother of Valerie (Stephen) Fox of Florida, Gerald of Cambridge, Mary Stephen of Desboro, Glen of Vancouver and Elaine Cameron (James Strathy) of Chesley. Treasured Grandmother of Chris, Tim, and Travis Fox; Jenni, Heather and Mike Teskey; Greg, Sarah and Bonnie Stephen; Mary Marshall, Brenda and Sherry Teskey, Cindy Henry and Andrew Teskey; Blayne, Cody and Mitch Cameron. Cherished Great-grandmother of Amanda, Nicolas, Matthew, Adam and Aaron Foxes; Ryan and Britany Fox; Maddison Teskey; Mahkenzee and Serenity Teskey; Christopher Teskey; Spencer Stephen; Leah and Aiden Marshall, Nicole, Jordyn and Harlea Teskey, and Casandra Teskey.
Delina also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews. Sister of Doris (Bill) Knight of Chatham and Tim Hoy of Port Coquitlam, B.C. and sister-in-law of Delores Hoy of Goderich, Marjorie Teschke and Elmer (Louise) Teschke, all of Owen Sound.
Delina was predeceased by her siblings, Donna Bowden, Clarence, Robert and Terry Hoy; her parents, Clarence and Edith Hoy; sons-in-law Michael Wright and Glen Cameron as well as brothers-in-law Harry and Carl Teschke, Lloyd Guse; and sisters-in-law Marj Teschke and Mary Guse; an infant granddaughter Dawn Lynn Fox; and an infant great-grandson Austin Timothy Fox.
Visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Wednesday from 3 – 5 and 7 – 9 p.m. A funeral service celebrating Delina’s life will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Chesley on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 2 p.m. Interment in Desboro Cemetery.
Memorial donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association, Chesley Hospital Foundation or the charity of your choice would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
