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GOSSAGE, Helga Elona (Albin)

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helga-gossage

March 28, 1931 – March 28, 2023

Helga died peacefully on March 28, the day of her of birth, at the Roxborough Residence in Newmarket, Ontario. She was 92. She will be sorely missed by her husband Patrick, her son Sean Ashworth and daughter-in-law Paula; her daughter, Susanne Gossage and her son-in-law Patrick Chase, as well as her three grandchildren; her granddaughters Monica Ashworth and Parker Chase, and her grandson Julien Ashworth. She also leaves behind loved in-laws Rick and Mary Lou Gossage, many beloved nieces, nephews and great nephews and nieces as well as dear friends both in Canada, Germany and around the world. She was predeceased by her brother, Horst Albin.

Born and raised in pre-war Berlin by beloved parents who often took her camping and canoeing in Berlin’s woods and lakes, her love of nature and animals started early. During the war she spent time billeted on a farm in Austria, furthering her love of all animals.

After apprenticing at the big RKO dubbing studio in Berlin, she parlayed her editing skills into a long film career. She immigrated to Canada in 1953 and started building her network and career at the NFB and CBC. Her son, Sean Ashworth was born in 1964 at the height of her career. She was a much in demand film editor at CBC news, and latterly for CBC documentaries and longer productions. It was editing such a film that she met its producer Patrick Gossage who she married in 1969. She retired from editing in 1974, when they moved to Ottawa, she became a sessional lecturer at Carleton where she taught journalism students short film production and editing. In Ottawa, she reignited her love of riding and bought her first horse.

In a move to Washington DC in 1983 she took her horse and passion for riding with her. Returning to Canada, they moved first to Cabbagetown in Toronto, then to King Township where she continued to ride and play tennis until she was 76.

Helga was a very special, loving, understanding, and accepting person who had many lifelong friends and attracted friendships wherever she went. She only slowed down in recent months after a serious fall May 2022. She recovered at the residence with the help’s from St. Elizabeth’s PSW’s. She always appreciated the Roxborough staff especially the warm daily welcome from the servers. She was hospitalized again after a January incident, moving back into palliative care at the residence in late February, supported by caring PSWs. Her last of many much-loved dogs, Annie, a sweet whippet, will pine for her, as we all will.

Donations in her memory to The Scott Mission would be appreciated. A funeral service will be held at All Saints Anglican Church in King City on April 15 at 2:00 pm, followed by a reception at Hogan’s Inn.

Arrangements entrusted to Roadhouse & Rose Funeral Home



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