“She surrounded herself with books at work and at home.
Her living space was a testament to her first and abiding love
with shelves jammed with books, tables crowded with them.
She saw them not only as knowledge, entertainment, comfort,
even sanity, but as a kind of artful decoration. ”
Nora Roberts, Key of Knowledge
Reading was beyond a passion for Linda. It could be said that it was more of an obsession. To read several books a week was not unusual for Linda. In fact, there is a worn area of her kitchen table where Linda read her beloved Owen Sound Sun Times, Paisley Advocate and novels! It was the only place she allowed herself to read! And the only time she allowed herself to read was when her amazing cooking was done for the day, when there were no children to watch over, no cards to be played and no family to visit.
Linda led a very full life. She was born in Walkerton to Gordon and Alma (Stade) Sawyer on Thursday, May 4, 1944. Linda was the middle child of a very large family, twelve children in all: Tom; Dorothy; Bruce; Jim; Karen; Linda; RuthAnn; Ken; Larry; the twins Doug and Darlene; and June. The Sawyer children were raised in Paisley and attended public school in Paisley. It was a time when a lot of children were not privileged enough to attend school right through to the end of high school and Linda was no exception.
At first, Linda worked for a brief time in the basket factory before working part-time at the local Five and Dime store in Paisley. Linda was very proud of the time she spent labouring for a wage.
Having fallen in love with a young gentleman who was a little rough around the edges, thinking himself to be a motorcycle gang member, Linda was married a the tender age of sixteen. On Saturday, January 23, 1960, Bruce Gilbert “Boogie” McLaren and Linda May were joined in Holy Matrimony. The Rev. Boaz presided over their nuptials at Ascension Anglican Church in Paisley. Karen Sawyer and Wilfred McLaren were the young couples witnesses. Their reception was held at the home of Linda’s parents.
It was a short while after, well not that short of a period of time, that Stewart was born prematurely June 18, 1960. The little guy was only 3+ pounds in weight. Deborah was born January 7, 1963. Shortly afterwards, the McLaren family moved down to Hamilton where Boogie drove truck for Stelco Steel. It was there that Laurie joined the family on October 7, 1965. In 1972, they moved back to the Paisley area. While the children were growing Linda would, on occasion, help her brother out at his furniture store, Stoddart & Sawyer. However, it was her fifty-eight years of being a homemaker that Linda was most proud of.
There were many other activities Linda could be proud of. She was a life member of the Paisley Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Branch 295, a supporter of the local school breakfast club, War Amps, London Heath Science Centre Cancer Program and a canvasser for the March of Dimes. When Linda lived in the Hamilton area she bowled and while living in the Paisley area she enjoyed curling. In the summer, Linda and Bruce loved to go camping, especially at Arran Lake and at what is now the Saugeen Bluffs Conservation Area. Together they even went as far as fishing in Red Lake as well as attending the Calgary Stampede.
Linda was an avid collector of spoons and spent a great deal of time clipping newspaper articles, highlighting the work and play of her family, especially her grandchildren. She also spent a great deal of time with her sisters. Theirs was a tightly knit group who worked hard to stay connected. Trips down to Chris’ at Crystal Beach and Randy’s in Oshawa were yearly highlights. Of course, it never hurt any of them to go to the local casinos while they were there.
Cards! Don’t the McLarens and Sawyers love to play cards? Loot, Poker, Euchre and Newfie Bingo were the favourites. Sometimes there were as many as sixteen to a table, and boy could they be loud! Every November the Sawyer clan would get together to celebrate Christmas at whatever building could hold them all. Once the homestead home became too small they moved onto the Bradley School and then finally to the upstairs of the Paisley Community Centre. Each child was guaranteed a gift and often Santa would even show up! There was always a bar and a potluck! It is safe to say that Christmas was Linda’s favourite holiday. She insisted that her immediate family always come together on Christmas Day, usually at her house. She loved this family time and cherished the memories these gatherings often created.
Linda was not much of a meddler in the lives of her children and supported them one hundred percent in whatever decision they made. As with most Moms she did have “the look” however. She was totally dedicated to Bruce and would have followed him to the ends of the earth, if necessary. Linda never complained about moving and was very proud of her family. When it came to eating, Linda never had a preference. “It is all good to me.” Mind you, her ultimate favourite was KFC!
“Cabbage Roll Queen” was an applicable name as they were the best ever! Few, if any, could match Linda’s culinary skill. Her Beet Horseradish concoction was a flavour favourite! Christmas was not Christmas without her Broccoli and Cheese casserole! It was just in the last year that Linda gave her “Secret Recipe” to her granddaughter Lynsey. Of course Linda had to oversee the whole production!
Linda loved her old time country music – Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn and Stoppin’ Tom. Watching the older games on TV was another favourite pastime as was watching cooking shows and Law and Order. It was close to a mortal sin to touch her crossword puzzles, which she always completed in ink. Both Linda and Bruce loved to dance and they were really good together. Then of course, there was her love of beer. It didn’t matter what kind of beer, Linda loved them all.
Like everyone, Linda met with challenges. The greatest one was when her grandson Dusty was diagnosed with cancer seven years ago. This was perhaps even harder when Linda herself had to face her own cancer challenge.
Linda May McLaren (Sawyer) of Paisley, passed away at home with her family by her side on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 in her 73rd year.
Beloved wife of the late Bruce McLaren. Loving mother of Stewart (Cathy) of Paisley, Deb Tanner (Doug Volland) of Clinton and Laurie (Bill) Reid of Paisley. Linda will live on in the hearts and minds of her grandchildren, Shawn (Emma), Jennifer, Tyler, Lynsey (Troy), Wes, Tory (Julie), Dusty (Amanda) and great-grandchildren Kailynn, Bryson, Avery, Leyna, Jacob and Jake. Dear sister of RuthAnn (John) McClinton of Southampton, Darlene (Dennis) Neilly and June (Doug) Catto, all of Paisley. She will be fondly remembered by her in-laws Marlene Sawyer, Helen Sawyer, Sandi Sawyer, Lauralee Sawyer, Jennifer Sawyer, Jack Riley, Wilf (Pat) McLaren, Helen Schmidt and their families. Linda was predeceased by her brothers Tom, Larry, Ken (Janet), Jim, Bruce, and Doug Sawyer, sisters Karen (Jack) Matheson, Dorothy Riley and her parents Gordon and Alma (Stade) Sawyer as well as Bruce’s family Jack (Joy) McLaren, Dorothy (Sam) Thomson, Gord Schmidt, Glen McLaren, Jimmy in infancy and parents-in-law Stewart and Esther McLaren.
Friends will be received at Knox United Church, Paisley (399 Goldie St.) on Friday from 5 – 8 p.m. with a Royal Canadian Legion Auxiliary, Branch 295 service beginning at 4:30 p.m. A Celebration of Linda’s life will be held at the church on Saturday, February 18, 2017 at 11 a.m. Spring interment in Purdy Cemetery.
Memorial donations to the Bluewater District School Board (for the Paisley Central School Breakfast Club) or Wingham District Hospital Foundation (Oncology Dept.) would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
