Alexandria Stutt (née Bihun) was born in Ethelbert, Manitoba in 1922 and died, peacefully, at the Maplewood Long Term Care Home in Brighton, Ontario on August 13, 2020. 

Alice spent her childhood on her family farm near Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba.  At thirteen, Alice left her home to move to Hazelridge, Manitoba, and worked as live-in help, eventually settling with Dr. Scott and his wife.  There, Alice met the love of her life, movie-star-handsome and most-eligible bachelor Anthony Stutt.  While this sparked a fire of envy in the hearts of all the local girls, he had captured her heart completely, and she had captured his – on the local skating rink. Alice and Tony were married in 1941 and, soon after, Tony shipped out to the war in Europe. Alice returned to her childhood home with her firstborn son, Larry, where for four years she lived, worked, and waited for Tony to return.

When Tony finally returned safely home, they moved to Etobicoke and lived on Laurel Avenue, working hard to build a life for themselves.  They were diligent and thrifty through these early years, which saw the birth of four more children: Linda, Jim, Constance, and Joan.  They raised their children in the house that Tony built, with Tony working as a trouble-shooter for Massey-Ferguson.  Alice worked as a freelance seamstress of great talent and reputation, who once refused a commission to make what would become Don Cherry’s signature jackets because she didn’t like the cut of his jib.   She was a homemaker of incredible skill and intelligence, making the most of everything through cleverness and care. She was also a wise manager, who understood and planned for the uncertainties and opportunities of life, so she could make it richer and more beautiful. 

When their children were grown, Alice and Tony moved to Hanover, Ontario, where Tony retired.  There, they began the adventurous second half of their lives together with trips and card parties with their best friends and relatives including Chuck and Jean, Bill and Issie, Shortie and Irene, and Uncle Harry.  Trips to Mexico, Hawaii, England, Florida, Nevada, and British Columbia, were enjoyed with much laughter and adventure, including Alice parasailing over the Gulf of Mexico at the age of 65, much to Tony’s dismay - and admiration. 

Alice and Tony squeezed in all the fun between regularly caring for and visiting their growing number of grandchildren, and Alice kept everyone outfitted with quilts, crocheted afghans, mittens, hats, sweaters, and handmade clothing, and kept everyone fed with gifts of perogies, cabbage rolls, pyrihsky (I know, I was surprised by that spelling, too), raisin squares, cinnamon buns, shortbread, hockey pucks, and numerous other delicious signature dishes – including specific lime mould.  She was an epic gardener and a skilled card player.  She had a healthy sense of mischief and fun, but she could be formidable if crossed.  She was fiercely intelligent, and despite having only a grade three education, she knew every card in your hand, knew the answer to every riddle, and could recite the entirety of Longfellow’s epic poem, The Song of Hiawatha, among others, all over a pot of beef and barley soup.

In February 2006, she lost Tony, and though that must have devastated her, she showed her characteristic strength and continued to be independent for quite a long time afterwards.  She kept a candle constantly burning for Tony next to where he sat for as long as she lived in the last apartment they shared together.  You would never see a picture of him far from her sight, or a word of him far from her lips. In 2015, Alice lost her daughter, Constance, which was an incredible loss of a beautiful person.

In 2016, Alice moved permanently to Consecon with Linda, where she and Tony had spent many summers, and many beautiful hours working on the garden, enjoying food, wine and family.  She enjoyed many happy years there gardening, crocheting, baking, and preserving, and enjoying the company and love of her local great-grandchildren, Henry and James, and visits from many other of her beloved children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Reflecting on her past, Alice often said, “I’ve been through hell and high water,” but she said it with a half-smile and a glint in her eye, as if relishing the fact that she had been equal to whatever life threw at her.

Alice is survived by her wonderful children, Larry (Carol) Stutt, Linda Donville, Jim (Liz) Stutt, and Joan Bar.  Grandma (or Nini to Brendan, Luke, and Alex) is survived by her amazing grandchildren, Sean (Susy) Stutt, Angela (David) Stutt Mear, Emily (Chris) Donville, Moriah (Matt) Power, Jenn (Spike) Donville, Bree (Daniel) Stutt, Brendan Bar, Spencer (Misha) Gough, Luke Bar, and Alex Bar.  Great-Gran is also survived by her brilliant great-grandchildren Vanessa, Andreas, Joshua, Madison, Maya, Benjamin, Oliver, Kaleb, Henry, and James.