Obituary of Vera Elizabeth Marsden
Passed away suddenly on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at AgeCare West Williams LTC in Kitchener, Ontario.
Survived by loving daughter Anne (Alan) Wagland and her “Canadian family:” granddaughter Nikki (Brian) Stewart, and her great-grandchildren John, Michael, James and Andie. Also survived in the UK by stepdaughter Ruth Fletcher and stepson Andrew (Cheryl) Marsden, step-grandchildren Lucy, Luke, Danny, Hannah, and Jessica, and step-great-grandchildren Amelia, Ava-May, Freya, Elizabeth, Samuel and Mila.
Predeceased by two wonderful husbands, John Barrow [m. 1948-1968] and Anthony “Tony” Marsden [m. 1970-2017], her brother William Wincote and her stepson Paul Marsden.
Vera (Vee) was born in Coventry (Foleshill), England, to parents Elizabeth Josephine and Baden William Wincote. She would often talk fondly about her early years (despite some significant health issues) when her mother and father were cook and gardener for a local “well-to-do” family. By her early teens, her parents had moved a few miles south to Royal Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. Vera would often recall accompanying her father (then a fire warden) to the roof of the town hall to watch for fires sparked by errant bombs as Germany hammered Coventry and Birmingham during WW2 - she never forgot the orange glow of the sky over Coventry.
Vera met her first husband, John, at the Palais in Leamington at the end of the war. They shared a love of dancing and the big band sounds of Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and the like, and were huge fans of motorcycle racing and formula one. Vera was still watching F1 races on her tv well into the 2025 season. She met second husband, Tony, when they were both employed by the local council at the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington. They both continued employment with local government when they moved to Camberley, Surrey in 1972 and from there a love of travelling grew which included many trips to Europe with their “club”, several cruises, annual trips to Ibiza for their anniversary and numerous trips to Canada after Anne and Alan immigrated in 1976. Vera and Tony loved their visits to Canada and, after Tony’s death, Vera moved to Canada to be closer to her daughter and family in her remaining years.
Vera faced many adversities during her lifetime, but this resilient lady celebrated her 98th birthday in August with a lobster salad and a white sponge cake with pink icing - as per her request!
As per the family’s wishes, there will be no formal funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family or donations to the World Wildlife Fund Canada or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home at 519-745-8445 or at www.erbgood.com.