Sarah Elcome

In Memory of Sarah Elcome

Aug 9, 1932 – Jan 10, 2026

Sarah was born in Leith (Edinburgh) Scotland. 6th of what would be 13 siblings. A generation all now gone. During the war, those not old enough (like Sarah and her younger siblings) were evacuated to Carbridge until their dad died in service in 1944. This meant returning to the city, leaving school and starting work as there was no social safety net. She delivered papers (including to the local prison warden where she would put the paper in a basket and it would be pulled up to a very small window on a rope), worked at VAT 69 wrapping whisky bottles and as a Land Girl. She was among the successfully first treated for diphtheria with penicillin at the age of 22. She worked at Redfern Hall and Dean Orphanage training to be a children’s nurse but abandoned this plan for a move to Canada in 1957 with her sister and 2 much loved nieces who she helped raise and stayed close to her whole life.

Settling in the Weston area Sarah soon started working at CCM making skates and bikes and worked there while raising her 2 kids Owen (Bill) and Laura until it closed in 1983. It was here that she met the man who would become the love of her life, Percy Elcome whom she married in 1988. She then worked for Sears Canada until she retired in the mid 1990’s.

They drove across Canada a few times visiting regiment buddies and other work pals as well as traveling to the UK to see siblings and their families. It was a good comfortable life spent with friends and beloved grandchildren. When Percy, developed dementia, and had moved to Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, Sarah visited daily. Both her son Owen (Bill) and Percy passed in 2015 and after a fall and broken neck Sarah’s health began to deteriorate. A broken hip and arm saw a need for her to leave her home of 35 years and her kind neighbours Rayanne and Rose.

Moving to Malton Village Sarah was tended to for 5 years with great care and respect by the wonderful staff of McKechnie home. She might not have recognized people but she knew the words to any song and while she had never painted in her life enjoyed art classes. Always making sure everyone and everything was in their place, Sarah enjoyed the company of other residence, plane spotting and the occasional outing. She passed peacefully in her sleep with little warning having fallen asleep listening to Vera Lynn singing We’ll Meet Again.