Nancy Luella Hutchinson

Born October 25, 1949 — Died November 10, 2025

With deep love and profound sadness, we announce the passing of Nancy Luella Hutchinson, our beloved mother, at the age of 76.

She is predeceased by her father, Leslie Hutchinson, her mother, Alice Hutchinson (Leitch), and her brother, Brian Hutchinson. She is lovingly remembered and survived by her children Shana Pereira, Charlene Waddell (Stuart Chen), and Paul Waddell (Kathryn) and their children, the grandchildren who became her world: Madison (16), Benjamin (15), and Declan (6) Waddell.

Our mother’s life was defined by creativity, independence, empathy, and colour. Music was the soundtrack of our life growing up; she joyfully sang and filled daily life with pop and love songs. She sewed for her family, making many of the clothes her daughters wore as children, even making outfits for their dolls (some of which matched with her daughters’). She continued to sew her own clothing well into her seventies, always choosing bold, expressive prints. She rarely wore neutral colours; her wardrobe, like her home, reflected her bright sense of style and confidence.

She dedicated her life to raising her children and, later, to supporting and caring for her grandchildren. Having grown up without a mother, it was important to her to be physically available to her children, and she was quite the homebody. Raised with the expectation to be “seen and not heard,” she nonetheless shared stories and feelings with her children and made a determined effort to interrupt the legacy of physical abuse she experienced. She went through losses many would find hard to bear, yet she remained devoted to her family. She taught us to be independent and encouraged us to be social, to engage with the world, and to work for what we wanted. She modelled resourcefulness and responsibility. As an Administrative Assistant, work was an important part of her identity. She frequently supported several people at once, demonstrating organizational skills, attention to detail, and imagination.

Our home was always picturesque even though she was solely responsible for the household bills. She took pride in interiors that were colourful and in tune with the latest trends. Window shopping was her hobby. She was curious and forward-thinking when it came to technology and embraced tools that made life more convenient. She was masterful at crochet: blankets, pillows, sweaters, hats, and scarves, she made them all. These were given to family and friends, donated to charity, and sold at craft and artisan sales and online. These pieces remain artifacts of the best of her.

Our mother and nana was beautiful by nature. She was reserved in a crowded room but quite opinionated at home. She was proud and thoughtful of others. Sometimes she came across as a diva with her dry humour and sense of entitlement. She deserved the best and whether it was presented to her or not, didn’t change that. Sensitive and empathetic, she sometimes absorbed the sadness of others intensely. She could be guarded and stubborn, traits that made deep connection more difficult, but beneath that distance was a large and generous heart, and at her core she kept a childlike sense of wonder.

Her legacy is present in the independence she encouraged in her children and grandchildren, in the creativity she modelled and handed down, in the many handmade pieces that comfort us and in our capacity for love and kindness. We will remember our mom and nana for the beauty she crafted with her hands, her resilience, and the colour she brought into our world. Our hearts are broken but we take comfort in the thought of her reuniting with her first-born, John, the mother she never knew, and the brother she idolized.