Glenda Dickens Obituary
My beautiful girl left us in her sleep June 8. Survived by husband Michael, children Sarah Dickens, Robyn Stubbs (Stephen), grandchildren Sydney and Brixton, sister Judy Spears (Tom) and family as well as sister-in-law Diana Muttart (Barry) and their family. Parents were Bert and Loretta Jackson.
Glenda contracted polio in 1954. She spent months at a time in hospital, and in G.F. Strong rehab center. Her mom insisted that she would "live a normal life", so Glenda was the first paraplegic to be educated in the Vancouver school system, attending Edith Cavell and Prince of Wales schools. She enrolled in UBC (again the first paraplegic) and became a teacher. She married Michael in 1970 and they moved to Surrey. She taught grade four in Surrey for a number of years before pausing to raise our daughters.
Glenda eventually went back to UBC, achieving a B.Ed. in special education, and resumed her career. Despite being mildly dyslexic and not the greatest speller, she inspired legions of young minds, mostly by her caring nature and indomitable spirit.
Glenda also had an adventuresome side. She went hot air ballooning, parasailing, rode the Whistler chairlift, and more; things her mother was never allowed to know about. In the early 2000's, faced with the effects of post-polio syndrome, we decided to retire early and travel. The "two goofs from Surrey" visited much of western and Scandinavian Europe, Greece, Russia, the pyramids; places neither of us dreamed could be possible in a wheelchair.
Between adventures, Glenda volunteered for years as a greeter at the Surrey Cancer Center, where her armor piercing smile and kind words gave a few moments of comfort to many. She became Nana to her 2 wonderful grandchildren, who lit up her life. Glenda's happy place was Kauai, spending 2 months or so each year escaping winter, until the scourge of COVID.
We met many lovely folks who also returned every year, as well as friends and family joining us from here. Glenda's strength, courage and great sense of humor will remain in the hearts of all who knew her.
