Passing: Grace Tickson: Memorial/Celebration of Life in Nanaimo

Grace Tickson Memorial

by Kimball Cariou - People's Voice

A celebration of life - which is not always appropriate - was never more so as in the case of Grace Tickson, the Nanaimo political activist who passed away in early November at the age of 92.

Saturday, January 23, 2016
2:00 pm
Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo 

Grace is remembered for many important reasons: She was a lifelong trade union activist, a key figure in the early decades of building the BCGEU and in the Fish Union Women's Auxiliary, (back when such groups played a major role in mobilizing community support for labour struggles); and, she was a member of the Communist Party through good times and more difficult periods, never wavering in her commitment to replacing the rotten capitalist system with a socialist society based on common ownership of resources and the means of production, and genuine working class democracy.

One way she expressed this commitment was through generous support to the annual fund drives for People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper.

While standing firm on her principles, Grace was always happy to reach out to others of different views in the interests of building a stronger movement for social change. A proud Raging Granny, Grace was present at nearly every protest, rally, picket line, public forum etc. in the Nanaimo area over the past sixty years or more.

She was an immediate friend to everyone she met in the struggle for a better world, and she lived life to the full, especially her favourite pastime: dancing! And she never let advancing age slow her down. Her marvelous attitude was that seniors of any age deserve to enjoy a love life, and she wasn't shy about that.

Grace was an inspiration to many of us, and she will be remembered by family, friends, comrades, fellow workers and dancers, on Saturday, January 23, 2016, 2:00 pm at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo - the same place where she and her good friend Grace Stevens jointly celebrated their 90th birthdays with a huge party a few years ago.

Everyone who knew Grace is welcome to take part.

Kimball Cariou
Editor, People's Voice

Grace in high form - BC ferry, 2012