Passed peacefully on Thursday December 5, 2024 in the care of Henley House after living with Alzheimer’s disease. All who knew Lillian are lucky to have known her care, joy, and love of life and she will be greatly missed. Lillian was previously married to her dear friend John “Red” Henderson, but is predeceased by her longtime life partner Billy Griffiths, and her late-in-life partner Wendell Harper. Survived by her brother Ralph (Colleen) Carmichael and Cathy Carmichael (Bob Miller). Dearly loved and adored Auntie to her nieces and nephews Jennifer (Brent) Barker, Donavan Carmichael, Geordie (Jeska), Kate (Prashant), and Greg (Melanie) Miller and her grandnieces and grandnephews Julia, Brendan, Ruth, Henry, Ziya, and Marta. Lillian is predeceased by her older sister Barbara (John) Crowe.
Lillian was born to Isabelle and Hector Carmichael in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on April 16, 1944 and moved to Thorold in 1951 where she lived for the rest of her life. Lillian was very loved by all of her relatives from the MacDonald and Carmichael families in Cape Breton. Growing up Lillian played baseball, swam, roller and ice skated, and joined a sorority at the YMCA. Lillian worked at Canada Trust for over 40 years and retired as the Manager of customer service in 2006. Lillian volunteered with Thorold Community Theatre and the lunch program at Prince of Wales school and supported the work of the Roberta Bondar Foundation, and the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Foundation. Playing cards, dancing, golfing at Beechwood, making people laugh, and being an Auntie were great joys of her life; In Lillian’s own words she “never really let life interfere with having fun with my friends.”
The family will hold a service and celebration of life in the spring. Donations to Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region and online condolences in Lillian’s memory may be left at www.Bocchinfusofh.com.
The family thanks the staff of Henley House who provided excellent care and a home for Lillian, and share in our loss.