Wednesday, March 20, 2024
I worked with Moyra for many years at Agriculture Canada and then the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I have been sharing the sad news of her passing with other former colleagues and have received many responses - more than I recall for any other news that I have shared. And all of the responses reflect a warm and grateful respect, and admiration for the incredible lady that she was. To say that she was a force to be reckoned with is an understatement. Many recall her gravelly toughness, her acute intelligence, her passion and her dedication. Some also recall her love of smoking and scotch, and the fact that, when she decided to enter or leave the parking lot at work, you counted yourself lucky not to be in the way of that big old car of hers. A number of the women who commented noted what a trail blazer she was, even before knowing all that she had done. She would never tell anyone at work how old she was; what an amazing accomplishment to work effectively to the age of 82. We all missed her when she left. The rest of her life, outside of work, sounds amazing too. She was an icon. She did it her way: passionately, completely and unapologetically. Thank you, Moyra. You were truly an original.
