2017 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother –
Diana Abel
Diana Abel was born in Ottawa and later became an avid volunteer and entrepreneur in Western Canada. Having lived in several British Columbia towns and cities, she now resides in Brampton, Ontario.
As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Abel laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2017 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty.
She lost her only son, Corporal Michael David Abel, on May 3, 1993, while serving in Belet Huen, Somalia, as part of Operation Deliverance.
Her husband David C. Abel passed away in 2005 after they had raised their two children. David spent 12 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force. With her father, husband and son all having spent time in the Armed Forces, and her two grandsons who are current and past members of cadet squadrons, Mrs. Abel’s family has a significant history of military service.
She is a current volunteer and board member of a local non-profit organization called the Perpetual Bazaar, a consignment store selling items made by area seniors. In previous years, Diana worked with the local Catholic Church in Comox, British Columbia and served on the Catholic Women’s League. She also ran dressmaking and craft businesses and oversaw large craft shows in Sidney, British Columbia.
Diana moved to Brampton to be closer to her daughter Laura and three grandchildren with whom she spends a lot of time visiting and traveling.
List of National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mothers
(Information courtesy of the Royal Canadian Legion, Canadian War Museum and families of the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mothers)
2010 - Present
Year | Name | City/Town |
---|---|---|
2023 | Mrs. Gloria Hooper | St. Claude, Manitoba |
2022 | Mrs. Candy Greff | Lacombe, Alberta |
2021 | Mrs. Josée Simard | Les Mechins, Quebec |
2020 | Mrs. Debra Sullivan | Saint John, New Brunswick |
2019 | Mrs. Reine Samson Dawe | St-Prosper, Québec |
2018 | Mrs. Anita Cenerini | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
2017 | Mrs. Diana Abel | Brampton, Ontario |
2016 | Mrs. Colleen Fitzpatrick | Prince George, British Columbia |
2015 | Mrs. Sheila Anderson | Yellowknife, Northwest Territories |
2014 | Mrs. Gisèle Michaud | Edmundston, New Brunswick |
2013 | Mrs. Niki Psiharis | Laval, Quebec |
2012 | Mrs. Roxanne Priede | Grand Forks, British Columbia |
2011 | Mrs. Patricia Braun | Raymore, Saskatchewan |
2010 | Mrs. Mabel Girouard | Bathurst, New Brunswick |
1990 - 2009
Year | Name | City/Town |
---|---|---|
2009 | Mrs. Della Marie Morley | East Saint Paul, Manitoba |
2008 | Mrs. Avril Dianna Stachnik | Waskatenau, Alberta |
2007 | Mrs. Wilhelmina Beerenfenger-Koehler | Embrun, Ontario |
2006 | Mrs. Alice Murphy | Conception Harbour, Newfoundland |
2005 | Mrs. Claire Léger | Stittsville, Ontario |
2004 | Mrs. Agatha Dyer | Montreal, Québec |
2003 | Mrs. Charlotte Lynn Smith | Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia |
2002 | Mrs. Doreen Coolen | Hubbards, Nova Scotia |
2001 | Mrs. Ina Galvin | Bolton centre, Québec |
2000 | Mrs. Carol Isfeld | Courtenay, British Columbia |
1999 | Mrs. Loyola Helen Park | London, Ontario |
1998 | Mrs. Anna Zuk (Prygroski) | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
1997 | Mrs. Alice Taylor | Ottawa, Ontario |
1996 | Mrs. Margaret Langille | River John, Nova Scotia |
1995 | Mrs. Elsie Wells | Edmonton, Alberta |
1994 | Mrs. Wilhelmina Baerr | Yorkton, Saskatchewan |
1993 | Mrs. Isabella Hutchings | St. John’s, Newfoundland |
1992 | Mrs. Ida Orser | Hartland, New Brunswick |
1991 | Mrs. Alice Taylor | Ottawa, Ontario |
1990 | Mrs. Elsie Pearce | Trenton, Ontario |
1970 - 1989
Year | Name | City/Town |
---|---|---|
1989 | Mrs. Rachel Morin | Rimouski, Quebec |
1988 | Mrs. Hazel Driscoll | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
1987 | Mrs. Secondina Di Persio | Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia |
1986 | Mrs. Mabel Bateman | Richmond Hill, Ontario |
1985 | Mrs. Rose Bernst | Thunder Bay, Ontario |
1984 | Mrs. Olive (Rumball) Hunter | Summerland, British Columbia |
1983 | Mrs. Constance Wylie | Vancouver, British Columbia |
1982 | Mrs. Janet Fraser | Debert, Nova Scotia |
1981 | Mrs. Isabel Harrison | Bury, Quebec |
1980 | Mrs. Greta Steeves | Elgin, Albert County, New Brunswick |
1979 | Mrs. Eliza Beatty | Carlyle, Saskatchewan |
1978 | Mrs. Janet Cantley | Montreal, Quebec |
1977 | Mrs. Mary Boutilier | Niagara Falls, Ontario |
1976 | Mrs. Olive Rae (Jubb) | Victoria, British Columbia |
1975 | Mrs. Alta Wilkinson | Ottawa, Ontario |
1974 | Mrs. Annie Margaret Rudd | Stettler, Alberta |
1973 | Mrs. Margaret Santo | Bender, Saskatchewan |
1972 | Mrs. Mary Louise McLeod | Neyaashiinigmiing, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation |
1971 | Mrs. Mary Anderson | Selkirk, Manitoba |
1970 | Mrs. Mary Josephine Meech | North Sydney, Nova Scotia |
1950 - 1969
Year | Name | City/Town |
---|---|---|
1969 | Mrs. Wilhemina Gray | Vancouver, British Columbia |
1968 | Mrs. Pearl Rich | Vancouver, British Columbia |
1967 | Mrs. Elsie Adams | St. Catharines, Ontario |
1966 | Mrs. Josephine Stephens | Toronto, Ontario |
1965 | Mrs. Nora Wagner | Teeterville, Ontario |
1964 | Mrs. Bernadette Rivait | Windsor, Ontario |
1963 | Mrs. Mary E. Stodgell | Norwood, Manitoba |
1962 | Mrs. Vitaline Lanteigne | Caraquet, New Brunswick |
1961 | Mrs. Sylvia Kimmel | Mission City, British Columbia |
1960 | Mrs. Julienne Cantin | McCreary, Manitoba |
1959 | Mrs. Dagnie Asta Anderson | Craigmyle, Alberta |
1958 | Mrs. Helen Forestell | Coniston, Ontario |
1957 | Mrs. Zylpha MacFarlane | Truro, Nova Scotia |
1956 | Mrs. Gertrude Edna Reynolds | Chatham, Ontario |
1955 | Mrs. Regina Leboldus | Vibank, Saskatchewan |
1954 | Mrs. Margaret Heeney | Ottawa, Ontario |
1953 | Mrs. Mary Casey | Ottawa, Ontario |
1952 | Mrs. Hannah McCann | Ottawa, Ontario |
1951 | Mrs. Alice Rochon | Ottawa, Ontario |
1950 | Mrs. Susan Beasley | Ottawa, Ontario |
1936 - 1949
Year | Name | City/Town |
---|---|---|
1949 | Mrs. Aline D'Aoust | Ottawa, Ontario |
1948 | Mrs. Catherine Helen MacDonald | Ottawa, Ontario |
1947 | Mrs. Martha Labarge | Ottawa, Ontario |
1944 - 1946 | Mrs. Jessie Isobel McCleery | Ottawa, Ontario |
1943 | Mrs. Edith Louisa Coldrey | Ottawa, Ontario |
1942 | Mrs. Sarah Wilkins Lamplough | Ottawa, Ontario |
1937 - 1941 | Mrs. Catherine Lewis | Ottawa, Ontario |
1936 | Mrs. Charlotte Susan Wood | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
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